Overall, 51% of respondents have a negative view of innovative food products and 39% a positive one, and acceptance depends on the product. The highest comfort is for fruit and vegetables from crops adapted to drought, pests or extreme weather (50%). Comfort is higher among younger people (more than 50% of those under 39, against 34% of those aged 55 and over), among those with longer education, in large towns (more than half, against 42% to 46% in villages and rural areas) and among those who had heard of innovative foods before (59%, against 32% of those with no prior exposure).

Transparency is the clearest demand: 85% agree that innovative food products should have clear names and understandable information about how they are produced, what they contain and where they come from. For companies developing new ingredients, proteins and crop varieties, the survey indicates that information and labelling will weigh on acceptance as much as technology, and the Commission links the results to its Food 2040 research and innovation framework and to the EU Life Sciences Strategy, which stresses public trust. Fieldwork took place between 22 May and 24 June 2026.

#FoodInnovation #ConsumerTrustFood #FoodSystemsRD