The Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (Derasat) launched an opinion poll to measure consumers’ awareness of the ingredients in their food products, their label-reading habits, ingredients they are concerned about, and patterns they follow to organize food consumption priorities.

Mr. Ahmed Abdul Hameed Al-Ammadi, Head of Statistical Analysis at the Opinion Polls and Surveys Directorate in Derasat, explained that the quality and safety of healthy foods depends on knowing what natural and artificial ingredients they contain. “This poll aims to identify the levels of awareness consumers in the Kingdom of Bahrain have on food quality and safety from reading labels on the packaging.”

Al-Ammadi stressed the importance of the results expected from the e-questionnaire, currently distributed by Derasat surveyors among a random sample of citizens and residents of Bahrain, whose feedback will provide a treasury of scientific notes that support public policy in food security, sound consumption choices, spreading community awareness, and planning for expected health conditions based on the high or low quality of the most common food products people consume.

Derasat Center aims to collect feedback from a specimen of 700 individuals that comprise a cross-section of the Bahraini society, determined to learn what drives local consumers’ food choices, their knowledge of foodstuff ingredients, health value, nutrient quantities, and their suitability for their health requirements. The e-questionnaire is now available on Derasat’s official platforms and can be accessed and completed by scanning the QR code displayed there.