A majority of Europeans have a negative view of innovative food products, despite recognising their potential to help farmers tackle climate change and other challenges, according to a European Commission survey published on Monday that highlights widespread gaps in public awareness and understanding across the EU.

The Special Eurobarometer on food innovation found that 51 per cent of respondents had a negative view of innovative food products, compared with 39 per cent who viewed them positively, while 72 per cent said they did not feel well informed about innovative foods, ingredients and crops.

The findings suggest that although Europeans recognise the potential benefits of innovation in agriculture and food production, greater transparency, accessible information and public trust will be essential to its wider acceptance.

Almost 7 in 10 respondents, or 68 per cent, agreed that food innovation could give farmers and food producers additional tools to address challenges including climate change, pests, resource scarcity and supply disruptions.

Among the innovative food products presented in the survey, fruits and vegetables from crops adapted to drought, pests or extreme weather received the highest level of acceptance, with 50 per cent of respondents saying they would feel comfortable consuming them.

However, attitudes varied considerably according to respondents’ age, education, place of residence and familiarity with innovative foods.

People under the age of 39 were more comfortable with innovative foods than those aged 55 and over, with acceptance exceeding 50 per cent among younger respondents, compared with 34 per cent among older people.

Comfort levels were also lower among respondents who left school at the age of 15 than among those who continued their education until the age of 20 or later.

More than half of respondents living in large towns said they felt comfortable with foods developed using modern techniques, compared with between 42 per cent and 46 per cent of those living in villages or rural areas.

Familiarity with innovative foods also appeared to play a significant role, with 59 per cent of respondents who had previously heard of such products expressing comfort with them, compared with 32 per cent of those without prior exposure.

The difference was even more pronounced when respondents were grouped according to how well informed they felt, with 72 per cent of those who considered themselves well informed saying they were comfortable with innovative foods, compared with 36 per cent of those who did not.

The survey also found a strong relationship between information and overall perceptions, with 72 per cent of respondents who felt well informed holding a positive view of innovative foods, compared with just 27 per cent among those who did not feel well informed.

Transparency and safety emerged as important conditions for building public confidence, with 85 per cent of respondents agreeing that innovative food products should have clear names and provide understandable information about how they are produced, what they contain and where they come from.

The European Commission said innovative foods and crops could strengthen the resilience and preparedness of Europe’s food system, expand production options, support food security and help farmers and food producers respond to changing consumer needs, while maintaining the EU’s high safety standards.

It added that the findings offered valuable insights into how food innovation could become more relevant, understandable and acceptable to society.

The results are expected to inform future policy development, research, innovation and communication efforts, helping researchers, innovators and policymakers take public expectations into account from the earliest stages of the innovation process.

The survey comes as the EU develops its food research and innovation agenda, with the findings considered particularly relevant to Food 2040, the bloc’s research and innovation policy framework for food systems.

Food 2040 forms part of the recently adopted EU Strategic Approach to Research and Innovation, which aims to support competitive, resilient and sustainable agriculture, forestry, rural areas and food systems.

The framework emphasises the importance of involving consumers and other interested partners in innovation, using co-creation and real-world testing to ensure that new solutions address economic, environmental and societal needs.

As Europe seeks to strengthen its food system, innovation could expand the range of solutions available to farmers and food producers, improve food security, address environmental pressures and respond to evolving consumer preferences.

However, the Eurobarometer findings indicate that technological advances alone will not guarantee public acceptance, with clear information, transparency, safety and confidence remaining central to successful adoption.

The survey follows the EU’s Life Sciences Strategy, which recognises that accelerating innovation must go hand in hand with public trust in new technologies and ensuring that scientific advances deliver tangible benefits for people and the planet.

Public understanding and engagement are particularly important in agriculture and food technology, where innovation is closely connected to health, sustainability, food security and everyday consumer choices.

The European Commission said the latest survey provided a timely assessment of how Europeans viewed developments in innovative foods, ingredients and crops, the opportunities they identified and the conditions they considered necessary to trust them.

The survey was conducted across all 27 EU member states between May 22 and June 24, 2026, among 26,456 respondents aged 15 and over.