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Title:
Managing Food Chain Risks, 2006-2007
(Integration of Social and Natural Sciences to Develop Improved Tools: Assessing and Managing Food Chain Risks; RELU-Risk)

Subject Categories:
Consumer behaviour - Economics
Nutrition - Health
Social attitudes and behaviour - Society and culture

Depositor(s):
Shepherd, R., University of Surrey. Department of Psychology

Principal Investigator(s):
Shepherd, R., University of Surrey. Department of Psychology

Data Collector(s):
Shepherd, R., University of Surrey. Department of Psychology

Sponsor(s):
Economic and Social Research Council
Natural Environment Research Council
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Grant Number:
RES-224-25-0090

Abstract:
This is a mixed method dataset. The study is part of the Rural Economy and Land Use(RELU) programme.

RELU-RISK is a multidisciplinary project which brings together natural science modelling of risks and uncertainties in the food chain with social science approaches to understanding consumer behaviours, risk communication and participatory processes. This involved the design, development and evaluation of participatory processes and tools for involving stakeholders, particularly those in rural communities, throughout the management and mitigation of a food safety issue or risk event, ensuring that full account is taken of a wide range of potential social, economic and political impacts as well as the more immediate public health related and safety issues. This was achieved through the development of a system for modelling technical risk and uncertainty using a state of the art probabilistic tool using 2D Monte Carlo and Bayesian methods to quantify variability and uncertainty. There are inputs into this process from modular food chain models and studies estimating the impact of risks on consumer behaviour, along with close interactions with the development of communication and decision support interfaces based on a mental models approach. Throughout the project stakeholder participatory process research was used both to define the interfaces needed and evaluate the outcomes from the project. Three risk case studies were used in the development and evaluation of the overall system. The data deposited arise from the research conducted on consumer behaviour.

Further information about this study can be found at the project's ESRC funding award web page and the project's web site.

Further documentation for this study may be found through the RELU Knowledge Portal: Managing Food Chain Risks.



Main Topics:
Food chain risk, participatory process, trust, consumer behaviour, stakeholder participation, risk communication, rural community, public health, decision support tool, and food safety.

Coverage:
Time Period Covered: January 2006-December 2007
Dates of Fieldwork: May 2005-December 2007
Country: United Kingdom
Geography: Guildford; Hampshire; Surrey
Spatial Units: No spatial unit
Observation Units: Individuals
Kind of Data: Alpha/numeric data; Individual (micro) level

Universe Sampled:
Location of Units of Observation:Subnational
Population:Case study 1: 133 parents of children aged 1.5 to 4.5 years old from Guildford;188 adults over 16 years old from Surrey and Hampshire. Case study 2: 139 adults over 16 years old from the UK. Case study 3: 214 adults over 16 years old from the UK.

Methodology:
Time Dimensions: Repeated cross-sectional study
This research consisted of an initial baseline postal survey, then followed by repeat survey after a short piece of information is given to the participants.
Sampling Procedures: Simple random sample
Number of Units: 4 consumer behaviour survey datasets.
Method of Data Collection: Postal survey; Focus group; Workshops; Experiments; Web site participation; Risk modelling.
Weighting: No weighting used

Language(s) of Written Materials:
Study Description: English
Study Documentation: English

Access:
Access Conditions: The depositor has specified that registration is required and standard conditions of use apply. The depositor may be informed about usage. See terms and conditions for further information.
Availability: Rural Economy and Land Use Data Support Service, UK Data Archive
Contact: Help desk: help@esds.ac.uk

Date of Release:
First Edition: 27 October 2009

Copyright:
Copyright R. Shepherd

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