title: Consumer Preferences for Written and Oral Information about Allergens When Eating Out.
abstract: Avoiding food allergens when eating outside the home presents particular difficulties for food allergic (FA) and intolerant (FI) consumers and a lack of allergen information in restaurants and takeaways causes unnecessary restrictions. Across Europe, legislation effective from December 2014, aims to improve allergen information by requiring providers of non-prepacked foods to supply information related to allergen content within their foods.
  
  
  
  Using in-depth interviews with 60 FA/FI adults and 15 parents/carers of FA/FI children, we aimed to identify FA/FI consumers' preferences for written and/or verbal allergen information when eating out or ordering takeaway food.
  
  
  
  A complex and dynamic set of preferences and practices for written and verbal allergen information was identified. Overwhelmingly, written information was favoured in the first instance, but credible personal/verbal communication was highly valued and essential to a good eating out experience. Adequate written information facilitated implicit trust in subsequent verbal information. Where written information was limited, FA/FIs depended on social cues to assess the reliability of verbal information resources, and defaulted to tried and tested allergen avoidance strategies when these were deemed unreliable.
  
  
  
  Understanding the subtle negotiations and difficulties encountered by FA/FIs when eating out can serve as a guide for legislators and food providers; by encouraging provision of clear written and verbal allergen information, and training of proactive, allergen-aware staff. This, in tandem with legal requirements for allergen information provision, paves the way for FA/FIs to feel more confident in eating out choices; and to experience improved eating out experiences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Fiona M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Begen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.affiliation: Creative Research Ltd, Bishops Castle, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ros
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: Allergy Action, St. Albans, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M Hazel
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Gowland
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jane S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lucas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012147:Restaurants; D006113:United Kingdom; D014956:Writing
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens