Today, we published wave 4 of the small and micro FBO (food business operator) tracking survey. The survey takes place every other year and tracks small and micro FBOs' views on a variety of topics, including trust in the Food Standards Agency, and opinions on regulatory issues affecting their industry.
Background
The Food Standards Agency has been conducting these surveys since 2018, and the data collected has helped inform engagement and intervention activity targeted at businesses with fewer than 50 staff.
Wave 4 took place from October to December 2023, with a total of 556 small and micro FBOs surveyed. To ensure the findings were representative of the small and micro FBO population the data was weighted.
Key findings
Perceptions of the FSA
Awareness of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) amongst small and micro businesses remains high, which is consistent with previous waves of the survey (97 – 98% across all waves). Most businesses surveyed felt the FSA works hard to ensure food safety standards are maintained and improved (94%).
Around a third (30%) of businesses who had heard of the FSA had been in contact with them in the previous 12 months. These businesses rated the FSA highly on several metrics (on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is ‘very poor’ and 10 is ‘excellent’):
- 8.8 – trustworthiness
- 8.7 – ease of use/access
- 8.5 – clarity of communications
- 8.5 – approachability
Most FBOs (94%) were confident the FSA can be trusted to use any information they give them appropriately, and that the FSA is good at identifying where poor standards exist (90%). Additionally, 87% were confident that the FSA understands the needs of businesses like theirs.
Confidence in the food safety system
FBOs expressed high confidence in food safety and hygiene standards and regulations with at least eight in ten agreeing that food standards and regulations are:
- effective at protecting the public from food related risks (95%)
- reasonable for food businesses to meet (94%)
- reasonable to retain information or records for (91%)
- enforced in a fair and constructive manner (90%)
- add value to their business (86%)
- easy and practical to comply with (86%).
Regulation awareness
The majority of businesses (85%) felt informed about regulations affecting their business, with 31% feeling very informed. However, awareness of the government’s commitment to Smarter Regulation was low (17%).
Challenges and barriers
The survey found that the most pressing challenges for FBOs are:
- changes in consumer behaviour due to the cost of living (71%)
- high inflation (70%)
- energy costs (60%).
These concerns have shifted since 2021, when supply chain disruptions and COVID-19 were the primary issues.
Importing and exporting trends
The proportion of FBOs involved in importing and exporting remains low, with only 3% importing and 1% exporting. Businesses that had changed their importing practices in the last 12 months suggested that the UK’s exit from the EU, changes to import costs and business growth were the primary factors that led them to change their importing practices.
Arolwg Tracio Gweithredwyr Busnesau Bwyd Bach a Micro: Canfyddiadau Cylch 4
Heddiw, gwnaethom gyhoeddi cylch 4 o’r arolwg tracio gweithredwyr busnesau bwyd bach a micro. Mae’r arolwg yn cael ei gynnal bob yn ail flwyddyn, ac mae’n olrhain safbwyntiau gweithredwyr busnesau bwyd bach a micro ar amrywiaeth o bynciau, gan gynnwys ymddiriedaeth yn yr Asiantaeth Safonau Bwyd (ASB) a barn ar faterion rheoleiddiol sy’n effeithio ar eu diwydiant.
Cefndir
Mae’r ASB wedi bod yn cynnal yr arolygon hyn ers 2018, ac mae’r data a gasglwyd wedi helpu i lywio gweithgarwch ymgysylltu ac ymyrryd wedi’i dargedu at fusnesau â llai na 50 o staff.
Cynhaliwyd cylch 4 rhwng mis Hydref a mis Rhagfyr 2023, gyda chyfanswm o 556 o weithredwyr busnesau bwyd bach a micro yn cael eu harolygu. Er mwyn sicrhau bod y canfyddiadau’n cynrychioli poblogaeth y gweithredwr busnes bwyd bach a micro, cafodd y data ei bwysoli.
Y prif ganfyddiadau
Canfyddiadau ynghylch yr ASB
Mae ymwybyddiaeth o’r ASB ymhlith busnesau bach a micro yn parhau i fod yn uchel, sy’n gyson â chylchoedd blaenorol yr arolwg (97–98% ar draws pob cylch). Roedd y rhan fwyaf o’r busnesau a arolygwyd yn teimlo bod yr ASB yn gweithio’n galed i sicrhau bod safonau diogelwch bwyd yn cael eu cynnal a’u gwella (94%).
Roedd tua thraean (30%) o’r busnesau a oedd wedi clywed am yr ASB wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â hi yn ystod y 12 mis blaenorol. Rhoddodd y busnesau hyn sgôr uchel i’r ASB ar sawl metrig (ar raddfa o 1 i 10, lle mae 1 yn ‘wael iawn’ a 10 yn ‘rhagorol’):
- 8.8 – dibynadwyedd
- 8.7 – rhwyddineb defnyddio/cyrchu
- 8.5 – eglurder cyfathrebu
- 8.5 – hygyrchedd
Roedd y rhan fwyaf o weithredwyr busnesau bwyd (94%) yn hyderus y gellir ymddiried yn yr ASB i ddefnyddio unrhyw wybodaeth a roddir iddi yn briodol, a bod yr ASB yn dda am nodi lle mae safonau gwael yn bodoli (90%). Yn ogystal, roedd 87% yn hyderus bod yr ASB yn deall anghenion busnesau fel eu rhai nhw.
Hyder yn y system diogelwch bwyd
Mynegodd gweithredwyr busnesau bwyd hyder uchel mewn safonau a rheoliadau diogelwch a hylendid bwyd, gydag o leiaf wyth o bob deg yn cytuno bod safonau a rheoliadau bwyd yn:
- effeithiol wrth ddiogelu’r cyhoedd rhag risgiau sy’n gysylltiedig â bwyd (95%)
- rhesymol i fusnesau bwyd eu bodloni (94%)
- rhesymol wrth ystyried yr angen i gadw gwybodaeth neu gofnodion ar eu cyfer (91%)
- cael eu gorfodi mewn modd teg ac adeiladol (90%)
- ychwanegu gwerth at eu busnes (86%)
- hawdd ac ymarferol cydymffurfio â nhw (86%)
Ymwybyddiaeth o reoleiddio
Roedd y rhan fwyaf o fusnesau (85%) yn teimlo eu bod yn cael gwybod am reoliadau sy’n effeithio ar eu busnes, gyda 31% yn teimlo’n wybodus iawn. Fodd bynnag, roedd ymwybyddiaeth o ymrwymiad y llywodraeth i Reoleiddio Callach yn isel (17%).
Heriau a rhwystrau
Canfu’r arolwg mai’r heriau mwyaf taer i weithredwyr busnesau bwyd yw:
- newidiadau mewn ymddygiad defnyddwyr oherwydd costau byw (71%)
- chwyddiant uchel (70%)
- costau ynni (60%)
Mae’r pryderon hyn wedi newid ers 2021, pan oedd tarfu ar y gadwyn gyflenwi a COVID-19 yn brif faterion.
Tueddiadau o ran mewnforio ac allforio
Mae cyfran y gweithredwyr busnesau bwyd sy’n ymwneud â mewnforio ac allforio yn parhau’n isel, gyda dim ond 3% yn mewnforio ac 1% yn allforio. Awgrymodd busnesau a oedd wedi newid eu harferion mewnforio yn ystod y 12 mis diwethaf mai ymadawiad y DU â’r UE, newidiadau i gostau mewnforio a thwf busnes oedd y prif ffactorau a wnaeth beri iddynt newid eu harferion mewnforio.
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