'Safe2Eat' 2024 Campaign: empowering consumers across Europe

Building on the success of the previous three years, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and its partners in EU Member States have launched the 2024 Safe2Eat campaign. Formerly known as #EUChooseSafeFood, the campaign returns rebranded and with a renewed commitment to promote food safety awareness among European citizens.

This year, the campaign expands its reach, with 17 countries joining forces to help consumers make informed decisions about their food choices. The participating countries for 2024 include Romania, Czechia, Hungary, Greece, Estonia, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Cyprus, Slovenia, Spain, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Austria, Poland, Portugal, and North Macedonia.

Empowering consumers to make choices with confidence

Research conducted by EFSA in collaboration with IPSOS in 2023 revealed that nearly 70% of Europeans express an interest in food safety. However, approximately 60% find food safety information too technical and challenging to comprehend. In response, this new edition aims to communicate the science behind our food in a clear, accurate, yet reassuring, and understandable way. The objective is to enable citizens to make well-informed decisions about their food consumption, ensuring safety and health in their daily choices.

Under the banner of #Safe2EatEU, the campaign continues to focus on educating citizens about various aspects of food safety. These include foodborne diseases, proper food handling techniques, the importance of reading food labels, and the promotion of food waste reduction practices.

The campaign also stresses the significance of a balanced diet, the safety of food supplements, and the need to scientifically prove health claims on food products. Additionally, it seeks to raise awareness about the safety of food additives and novel foods, and the presence of food allergens.

“Across Europe, consumers every day choose what to buy and what to eat, weighing factors such as cost, taste, sustainability, and food origin. Thanks to the high food safety standards upheld by the EU, consumers can trust that whatever they decide to purchase and consume, it is safe to eat. The #Safe2EatEU campaign precisely aims to make the link between the science of food safety and the food we enjoy, allowing people to make informed choices with confidence,” said EFSA's Executive Director Bernhard Url.

For more information

As the 2024 campaign kicks off, initiatives are being rolled out at both EU and national levels across the 17 participating countries. Citizens are encouraged to visit the website for comprehensive information on food safety topics and to download the campaign toolkit where they will find resources available in various languages.

About EFSA

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is an agency of the European Union set up in 2002 to serve as an impartial source of scientific advice to risk managers and to communicate on risks associated with the food chain.

It cooperates with interested parties to promote the coherence of EU scientific advice and provides the scientific basis for laws and regulations to protect European consumers from food-related risks – from farm to fork.