Eurobarometer survey on innovative foods released

The European Commission published an Eurobarometer on October 25, summarizing the perceptions of European citizens regarding so-called innovative foods. The survey, conducted between May 22 and June 24, 2026, included 26,456 respondents from the twenty-seven member states of the European Union.

Public attitudes toward innovative foods

According to the report, 51% of respondents have a negative view of innovative food products, while only 39% are comfortable with the idea of consuming them. The survey highlights a link between being informed on the subject and public attitudes toward these foods, with 72% of well-informed respondents having a positive view, compared to 27% of those who do not feel well informed.

Main concerns about food innovation

The concerns of Europeans regarding food innovation include worries related to long-term health effects (43%), production methods (35%), and transparency regarding components and origin (33%). The impact of these goods on farmers, rural areas, and traditional production systems (19%) ranks fifth among the concerns expressed.

Acceptance varies by type of food

The survey also notes variations in adherence to innovation according to the type of products. For example, half of the respondents declare themselves comfortable with the idea of consuming foods developed using modern techniques, such as "fruits or vegetables more resistant to drought, pests or extreme weather phenomena." Conversely, 62% of respondents state they would not be comfortable consuming "foods cultivated from animal tissues or cells," which the report identifies as the least accepted type of innovative food among those proposed.

National differences in views

French respondents are more suspicious than the majority of European citizens and feel poorly informed on the subject, with 72% declaring themselves "uninformed." Only 23% of the French surveyed have a positive view of food innovation, compared to 58% with a negative view (and 19% who do not know). Behind them, Cypriots and Greeks have even more negative views than the French (respectively 69% and 80%). On the contrary, the countries of the North of the Union (Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Belgium) are the least resistant.