Exploring Consumer Insights on Food Product Traceability in Portugal

In today’s fast-changing food industry, consumer expectations around safety, quality, and transparency push for more effective traceability systems. This study examines how Portuguese consumers perceive food product traceability, focusing on their awareness, trust, and preferences in product origin, production methods, and safety protocols. Through a survey, the socio-economic impact of advanced traceability systems was explored. The results show that most consumers consider traceability essential for ensuring food safety. However, a significant portion remains unaware of these systems. Factors such as product quality, price, and storage conditions were highlighted as top priorities when purchasing food, with traceability seen as a way to improve these aspects. Consumers are also intensely interested in information about product origins and transportation conditions, especially temperature control, as these directly affect safety and quality. This reflects growing concerns over foodborne illnesses and waste due to poor transportation practices. The research emphasises the need for greater consumer education on the value of traceability systems and the potential advantages of adopting digital traceability technologies. The study’s originality lies in its specific focus on the behaviour of Portuguese consumers regarding food traceability, a topic that has been relatively underexplored in this context.