Consumer Observatory
Europe’s central hub for consumer insights on agrifood topics.
What is the Consumer Observatory?
Powered by EIT Food, the Consumer Observatory brings together research and consumer insights organisations from across the food system to curate and produce bespoke research, up-to-date analysis, and unique insights from across the agrifood community. It aims to maximise the impact of consumer insights on agrifood topics, delivering greater knowledge, strategy, and guidance to agrifood stakeholders, educators, policymakers, and businesses – helping to bring about change in the agrifood system that is well-informed and consumer-focussed.
This central hub puts insights into consumer behaviour at the heart of the conversation on food sector trends and sustainability – driving forward innovative solutions that are well-informed and consumer-focused.
How does the Consumer Observatory work?
Methodology
The Consumer Observatory’s knowledge management system grants users access to all consumer-based research and insights supported by EIT Food. Alongside external insights, reports and studies, this includes the flagship TrustTracker study as well as outputs from the Citizen Participation Forum (CPF).
Studies
Qualitative Studies
Our qualitative studies are powered by The Citizen Participation Forum (CPF), which provides EIT Food with key insights from consumers, helping us understand their needs, wants, perceptions, concerns and intentions around food products and the food system. This work helps us gain a deeper understanding of consumer attitudes towards the food system, their willingness, or barriers to accept new foods and innovations and how consumers relate to current trends in the sector.
CPF gives consumers across Europe the opportunity to become change agents in food systems transformation, through participation in forums led by EIT Food and its partners.
CPF at a glance:
Puts consumers at the heart of EIT Food and mobilises them as change agents
Online community with 300 participants from 17 European countries
Participants have a medium-to-high level of interest in the food chain
Members take part in regular open discussions, photo assignments, questionnaires, polls and focus group sessions.
CPF is now part of the Consumer Observatory, Europe’s central hub for consumer insights on agrifood topics.
Quantitative Studies
Our flagship quantitative study is the EIT Food TrustTracker®, an annual evidenced-based questionnaire that measures consumer trust in the European food system, and is an important first step towards understanding this gap. It provides valuable insights that are used to enhance consumer trust in the food value chain.
Through quantitative surveys, the TrustTracker® measures European consumers' trust in the food system, their confidence in the integrity of food products, and their motivations and intentions towards eating a healthier diet. Based on scientific insights, a model for measuring consumer trust was developed by EIT Food partners University of Reading (project lead), the European Food Information Council (EUFIC), Aarhus University, KU Leuven, and the University of Warsaw. This evidence-based tool looks at differences within countries and by actors.
The data is tracked annually from 2018 to monitor developments and compare trust levels over time. When trust is higher, European consumers are more confident in their food and the technologies with which these have been produced.
Collaborate with us
We are currently proposing two ways for your organisation to collaborate with us and get the consumer insights that will make your initiative more impactful: Collaborative Studies and Concept Testing
Collaborative Studies
Partner with the sector-dedicated specialists at the Consumer Observatory
Through our Collaborative Studies programme, food and drink’s leading players can collaborate with us in our mission to progress a healthy, sustainable food industry. It combines tried-and-tested research methodologies with imaginative tools to help you investigate the industry’s big issues, all guided by our sector experts, market researchers and academics. This new-fashioned, shared approach enables you to both work with like-minded professionals and access additional funding for your venture. All with the goal of identifying true business-relevant opportunities while moving the industry forward.
These are some of the results from our collaborative studies in topics such as indulgence foods, or alternative proteins.
Concept Testing
Explore and evaluate your early-stage ideas with the Consumer Observatory Concept Test
We’ve built a commercially-driven online testbed to identify clear paths to help you optimise your in-development products. You get qualitative and/or quantitative support from a team with a proven track record in sustainable food innovation research. Access our cost-effective, pan-European community, or define your own custom sample.
Our Qualitative Community puts your concept through its paces to help you validate business ideas, refine value propositions and identify commercial opportunities. You receive valuable consumer affirmation of your insights, benefits and reasons to believe, while also gaining in-depth understanding of a concept’s strengths, as well as its possible failings. Our experienced moderators are expert at probing the 300-consumer-strong community, so you can be sure you get the insights your ideas deserve.
Consumer Observatory Team
Food Expert Advisory Board
Our Food Expert Advisory Board (FEAB) is a group of European food systems experts who provide new insights, advice and guidance to the Consumer Observatory around existing and emerging challenges in food-related behaviours, and explore new opportunities aligned to food consumption trends.
Leadership Team
The Consumer Observatory is a brand-new approach to consumer engagement, led by a team of organisations including Aarhus University, AZTI, EIT Food, Future of Food Institute, Greenhouse Communications, House of Insights, The REAL Leadership Consultancy, Thinktank International Research, Your Allies, University of Reading and Wageningen Economic Research.
Find out more
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