When buying food, people in Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Kosovo are primarily concerned with food safety.
According to a Eurobarometer survey, 57 percent of respondents in Kosovo said that food safety was their top priority, followed by cost. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, 64 percent prioritized cost, and 54 percent were concerned about food safety.
For the first time, the Eurobarometer included people’s views from Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Kosovo. This survey was part of a larger study encompassing Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey, with the goal of these countries joining the EU in the future.
The survey, conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, involved over 2,000 respondents interviewed face-to-face in their language. 69 percent of respondents in Bosnia and Herzegovina expressed a personal interest in food safety, compared to the EU average of 70 percent.
When it comes to food safety concerns, respondents in both countries mainly heard about additives, food poisoning, and genetically modified ingredients. Despite this, some people felt confident that they knew enough to avoid or mitigate food risks.
EFSA is working on communication campaigns to address these concerns, aiming to make their communications more impactful and to better understand the needs of their audiences.
In Kosovo, 78 percent of respondents showed interest in food safety, above the EU average. Similar concerns about food poisoning were also expressed. Recent assessments found that Bosnia and Herzegovina still has progress to make in meeting EU standards, while Kosovo’s food agency needs more resources.
EFSA is running a tender process to help these countries develop annual training plans and materials, with the goal of addressing future food-related crises.