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European public perceptions of food risk: cross-national and methodological comparisons

Hohl, Katrin and Gaskell, George D. (2008) European public perceptions of food risk: cross-national and methodological comparisons. Risk Analysis, 28 (2). pp. 311-324. ISSN 0272-4332

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Identification Number: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.2008.01021.x

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.

Item Type: Article
Official URL: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref...
Additional Information: © 2008 Wiley-Blackwell
Divisions: Methodology
Centre for Analysis of Risk & Regulation
Psychological and Behavioural Science
Subjects: D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain > DAW Central Europe
H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Date Deposited: 29 Jun 2011 12:41
Last Modified: 13 Sep 2024 22:31
URI: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/37154

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