More than half (55%) of Australians say they have stopped ordering from one or more food and beverage (F&B) outlets after being aware of poor hygiene practices, according to new YouGov research.
Notably, food hygiene is a significantly bigger concern among younger Australians. Around two in three Gen Z(66%) and Millennials(64%) have avoided dining establishments due to hygiene reasons, compared to just over half of Gen X(54%) and less than half of Baby Boomers(45%).
When asked to highlight factors that indicate a dining establishment is sanitary, three-quarters of Australians say visible cleanliness of the outlet(76%) would assure them about the upheld hygiene standards.
About three in five said they would be reassured knowing the F&B outlet follows best practices in food handling and storage(62%) and observing service staff practice good hygiene(58%).
Meanwhile, businesses that display food safety inspections and certificationsalso assure two-fifths (39%) of Australians. This research also found that restaurants and cafés generally enjoy the best hygiene perception in Australia, while food courts and fast-food chains are least likely to be seen as hygienic.
Almost three in five (59%) Australians think restaurantsin their neighbourhood are quite or very hygienic, while half (51%) of Australians say the same for cafés. In comparison, closer to one-third havesimilar views of their local pubs/bars(32%) and fast-food chains(30%), ahead of one-quarter for food courts(26%).
On the other hand, almost one-quarter of Australians think that food courts(25%) and fast-food chains(24%) in their neighbourhood are quite or very unhygienic– compared to one-sixth forlocal pubs/bars(16%) and less than a tenth for cafés(8%) and restaurants(6%).
More than one-third of Australians say they have witnessed first-hand hygiene safety issues at fast-food chains(37%) and food courts(36%) in their neighbourhood before. In comparison, close to three in ten have personally observed lapses in hygiene practices at local pubs/bars(28%), while around a quarter have seen the same at restaurants and cafés(both 26%).