Consumer trust in British farming is at the highest level since tracking began in 2019, according to an AHDB survey.
The latest findings from the AHDB trust survey, was conducted in partnership with Blue Marble in August 2024, show 67% of consumers feel very or somewhat positive towards British agriculture. This surpasses the previous positivity peak of 66% in 2020, which coincided with a greater consumer focus on the food supply chain as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of its focus on the reputation of British farming, AHDB has been tracking consumer trust and the understanding of agriculture since 2019.
As well as an increase in general positivity towards agriculture, the data also showed that 76% of UK adults agreed that farming was a ‘trustworthy profession’ (up from 71% in 2023), a figure was that was ahead of that for teachers and almost in line with the 78% for doctors.
There have been steady rises in consumer interest in farming and food production over the last couple of years. A total of 44% of consumers stated they have an interest/knowledge in farming, and this positive increase in interest has coincided with an upsurge in consumers who feel they are informed about food origin and production.
Wider AHDB studies also indicate positive sentiment towards British food, with 74% agreeing that British farmers and growers are doing a good job producing food, a growth of five percentage points since May. There is also positive news for shopping habits, as 56% agree that they will proactively look for British food/produce over imported foods, increasing by three percentage points since May (AHDB/YouGov Tracker Aug 24).
Steve Evans, AHDB Lead Consumer Insight Manager, said: “This study highlights that there is an opportunity to build on the strong trust consumers clearly hold for farmers in producing food brought into their homes. Consumers are less concerned about the cost of living and have more favourable attitudes toward food purchases and increased positivity towards farming.
“As consumers start to feel more interested and informed about farming, there remains an opportunity to further enhance the role of farmers in telling the story behind the products consumers see on shelves.”
You can read the full consumer trust report HERE