The need for better “consumer engagement and empowerment” is to be discussed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) at its board meeting in London next week, with attention also being given to how this might “influence” food producers and retailers.
The FSA debate will be based on a joint report by the agency’s head of marketing and consumer insight, Michelle Patel, and the organisation’s director of communications, Stephen Humphreys.
A pre-meeting document issued by FSA includes the statement that “consumers sometimes tell us that they feel powerless in their relationship with food”. In response, FSA said that it wants consumers to “be and feel powerful”.
“We want to create an environment in which consumers are encouraged to be active players in creating the best food future possible,” said FSA, stating that its objectives for future action should include:
- understanding consumers and what drives their behaviours;
- listening to them in developing our policies and approaches to protecting their interests;
- finding ways to inform them that are useful and support them in decision making; and
- identifying how we can empower them to influence key players in the food system including producers and retailers.
As a result, the FSA board will be asked, during its meeting at Aviation House, London, on July 15, to note that the agency “continues to actively listen to, understand, inform and empower consumers” while also discussing “any other activities which might further support better consumer engagement and empowerment”.