UK consumers want to know more about how food production is controlled and standards enforced, according to a survey published this week.

The Institute of Grocery Distribution's (IGD) latest Consumer Watch report also found that consumers would also like its tri-annual publication to be the starting point for any communication initiative relating to food provision.

The same study revealed that shoppers think their understanding of food production has improved in the last 12 months – 77 per cent of the 1000 questioned said their understanding was reasonable or good, compared to 52 per cent in 2000.

But discussions with over 60 consumers in focus groups across Leeds, Glasgow, Watford and Bristol suggested that, while they had greater awareness of food production issues, their understanding had not necessarily improved.

And the study showed that there had not been an increase in people's interest in learning about food production methods – with only 11 per cent describing themselves as 'investigators'.

Overall, however, shoppers' main priority was to receive more information about quality assurance procedures.

IGD's consumer unit manager Anna Dawson said: 'Consumers tell us that they want basic information that explains that clear industry standards exist, who sets these, how these are monitored and what happens if appropriate standards are not met.

'The challenge is how to communicate this in a way which is relevant to consumers and easy to understand.' An IGD working group is now working on communication programme to provide the information consumers want.

IGD is a leading research and education organisation for the food and grocery industry.