Trust Report 2026: Who do consumers believe?

Trust Report 2026: Who do consumers believe?

The fourth and last issue of the EIT Food Consumer Observatory's Trust Report 2026: Who do consumers believe? explores how confident Europeans feel about their food choices, what they believe they know about healthy and sustainable diets, how well they feel able to distinguish reliable information, and which sources they trust for guidance.

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Across 18 European countries, the research reveals a growing gap between confidence in ourselves and confidence in the information around us. The share of Europeans who feel able to make good food choices rose from 60% in 2024 to 66% in 2025. Yet fewer than half consider food information itself reliable. At the same time, consumers are becoming more confident in their own ability to separate reliable information from unreliable information, and 53% say they know where to find sources they can trust.

The report also provides insights for policymakers, researchers, food businesses and communicators on how to strengthen food literacy and make information easier to understand and trust. It highlights the importance of accessible information, clear sourcing, transparency, third-party validation and concise, evidence-based communication.

Based on nearly 20,000 consumers surveyed as part of the TrustTracker® study, the report forms the fourth and final chapter of the EIT Food Consumer Observatory Trust Report Series 2026. The series explores how trust, knowledge and behaviour interact to shape food choices across Europe.

The 2026 Trust Report is structured across four focused chapters:

1. Europe wants to eat better, so why isn't it happening?
2. The state of trust in the food system
3. Trust in innovation: Between familiarity and fear
4. Who do consumers believe?

If you would like to find out more about this report, please get in touch via co@eitfood.eu.

Find out more about the Consumer Observatory. Download our reports disclaimer.