According to the survey carried out by the Food Standards Agency in partnership with Allergy UK (AUK) and the Anaphylaxis Campaign (AC), over half of young people with a food allergy or intolerances have avoided eating out in the last six months due to their condition.
The survey also revealed that while 67% of respondents reported being aware of the legal requirement of food businesses to provide information on the top 14 allergens, only 14% felt extremely confident asking for allergen information when dining out and 14% reported feeling not at all confident.
Other findings include:
- 59% reported they tend to visit the same place when eating out
- 55% reported always researching the menu online before going to a new or unfamiliar place
- Only 9% reported always contacting a restaurant in advance to check they provide allergen information