Belgians hold their farming sector in high regard and believe it deserves more support, but price remains the main factor when they buy food, according to a CBC Banque et Assurance (CBC Bank and Insurance) survey.
CBC Banque et Assurance presented the results at a farm in Braine-le-Comte on Thursday, one week before the 90th Libramont Agricultural Fair.
The survey was carried out by Ipsos at the end of May among a representative sample of 1,000 people in Belgium. It aimed to better understand Belgians’ consumption habits, their perception of agriculture and the challenges facing the sector.
The first key finding is that, although Belgians pay close attention to what food products contain, price and quality are by far the most important criteria when making purchases.
Strong confidence in Belgian agriculture
These two factors rank well ahead of seasonality, production method, whether conventional or organic, geographical proximity and environmental considerations. Support for producers comes last, cited by just 14% of respondents.
Despite this, respondents expressed strong confidence in Belgian agriculture. Nine out of 10 said it provides reliable, high-quality products, at least in part.
More than half, 57%, said they had a very good or excellent image of Belgian farming.
Only around a third, 34%, believe the sector receives enough support. A majority also agree that farming is essential to society, that it is demanding work and is undervalued.
Support for labelling of food origin
When asked about the future of agriculture, respondents were most concerned about the disappearance of family farms in favour of large agricultural groups or financial investors, cited by 48%.
That was followed closely by concern over foreign competition linked to free-trade agreements, mentioned by 47%.
The survey also found strong backing for clearer labelling of food origin. Three-quarters of respondents support the creation of an official label to identify where food products come from.
A national label was seen as the most relevant option by 39% of those surveyed, compared with 15% for a European label and 7% for a regional one. A further 29% said they would favour several levels of labelling, including European, Belgian and regional.
