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European Public Perceptions of Food Risk: Cross‐National and Methodological Comparisons

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  • Katrin Hohl
  • George Gaskell

Abstract

This article presents a comparative study of public perceptions of food risk across 25 European member states. A secondary data analysis is conducted on a Eurobarometer survey fielded to nationally representative samples in 2005. The survey included closed questions as well as free associations to map risk perceptions. Taking a quantitative approach, we find that people in a majority of European countries express similar levels of concern about food risks. However, outside this majority a North‐South divide is evident, with the Northern countries worrying less than the Southern countries. Multilevel modeling shows that cross‐national differences in individual respondents' level of worry are in part attributable to shared country effects and to generalized risk sensitivity about a range of personal risks. On the underlying structure of food risk concerns, factor analysis points to three dimensions described by groupings of risks related to adulteration and contamination, health effects, and production and hygiene. A qualitative analysis of respondents' free associations about problems and risks with food identifies three major themes that are consistent with the quantitative results. However, the free associations also point toward greater cross‐national diversity and to striking variations in the range and importance of food risks. Overall, the picture is of a public that frames food risks in a wider context of beliefs about the links between diet and health. We conclude with some implications for research on food risk perceptions in particular and risk perception studies in general.

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  • Katrin Hohl & George Gaskell, 2008. "European Public Perceptions of Food Risk: Cross‐National and Methodological Comparisons," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(2), pages 311-324, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:riskan:v:28:y:2008:i:2:p:311-324
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.2008.01021.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chris Fife‐Schaw & Gene Rowe, 1996. "Public Perceptions of Everyday Food Hazards: A Psychometric Study," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(4), pages 487-500, August.
    2. Paul Sparks & Richard Shepherd, 1994. "Public Perceptions of the Potential Hazards Associated with Food Production and Food Consumption: An Empirical Study," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 14(5), pages 799-806, October.
    3. Asa Boholm, 1998. "Comparative studies of risk perception: a review of twenty years of research," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 1(2), pages 135-163, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Seda Erdem & Dan Rigby, 2013. "Investigating Heterogeneity in the Characterization of Risks Using Best Worst Scaling," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 33(9), pages 1728-1748, September.
    2. Liang Ma & Peng Liu, 2019. "Missing links between regulatory resources and risk concerns: Evidence from the case of food safety in China," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(1), pages 35-50, March.
    3. Lei Huang & Yuting Han & Ying Zhou & Heinz Gutscher & Jun Bi, 2013. "How Do the Chinese Perceive Ecological Risk in Freshwater Lakes?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(5), pages 1-12, May.
    4. George Gaskell & Katrin Hohl & Monica M. Gerber, 2017. "Do closed survey questions overestimate public perceptions of food risks?," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(8), pages 1038-1052, August.
    5. Xiaoru Xie & Liman Huang & Jun (Justin) Li & Hong Zhu, 2020. "Generational Differences in Perceptions of Food Health/Risk and Attitudes toward Organic Food and Game Meat: The Case of the COVID-19 Crisis in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-17, April.

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