Canadians unsure which sources of food information to trust

The number of Canadians who don’t know if Canada’s food system is on the right path increased year-over-year, according to a survey by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity.

Forty-two per cent of respondents replied ‘don't know’ to the question – an increase of six per cent from the 2020 survey.         

Focus groups conducted by the centre in conjunction with the survey suggest that consumers are “overwhelmed with (conflicting) information about food and don’t know what information to trust.”

Nineteen per cent said the food system is headed in the wrong direction, mainly because of a lack of transparency.

The centre concluded even though vast amounts of credible information is available it isn’t getting through to consumers.

The number of consumers thinking the food system is headed in the right direction declined eight per cent to 39 per cent.
         

Five years ago in 2016, only 30 per cent felt the food system was headed in the right direction while one in five didn’t know and 21 per cent felt it was headed in the wrong direction.

Among the top five issues, number one remained the rising cost of food, 61 per cent, up from 56 per cent last year.

Keeping healthy food affordable was second at 55 per cent, up two points.

Third at 53 per cent was global warming/climate change, a new issue in the top five.

Two new issues rounded out the top five: energy costs was fourth at 52 per cent with health care costs, fifth at 51 per cent.

The Canadian economy at 55 per cent last year and the federal deficit at 50 per cent last year, didn’t make the top five concerns this year.

Consumers are also concerned about sustainability in a profit driven food system but no data was provided.

A concern about animal food has declined with 32 per cent concerned about use of antibiotics in animals, down from 48 per cent in 2016.

Concerns about hormones used in farm animals also declined over five years from 48 per cent to 42 per cent.

In Saskatchewan 91 per cent agree food produced in Saskatchewan is safe with 73 per cent agreeing farmers and ranchers follow government and industry regulations.  As well 73 per cent trust that farmers and ranchers are taking care of the environment.

Only 54 per cent agree that the Saskatchewan agriculture sector transparently communicates about its practices.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net