Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Majority of Brits believe allergies are ‘much more common’ now than when they were younger

Eight in 10 Brits say food allergies appear to be far more commonplace now than they remember from when they were younger

SWNS reporter
Friday 23 July 2021 13:19 EDT
Comments
(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Eight in 10 Brits believe allergies are ‘much more common’ nowadays, than they remember from when they were younger.

Research among 2,000 adults found one in five believe they currently have a food allergy - but a sixth are unable to identify any allergens in common food groups.

Nearly one in three had no idea that in yoghurt, the allergen is simply milk.

However, eight in 10 agree it is important that new food legislation is introduced to protect those with severe food allergies out of the home.

The research was commissioned by GS1 UK, which is running a campaign for extra transparency from the food industry.

Anne Godfrey, CEO of GS1 UK, said: “This is much needed which will undoubtedly increase transparency within the food industry and protect consumers - as the research shows, it’s not always clear what is or isn’t an allergen.

“Food allergies are clearly increasingly prominent across the UK, so it is imperative that the industry offers more support to those that are unable to eat certain foods.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in