ACSS working groups
Advice on cross‑cutting issues identified by the FSA Chief Scientific Adviser and officials is generally provided through bespoke ACSS working groups.
Assurance working group
The overall aim of the ACSS assurance working group is to explore how best to facilitate assurance of the quality, value and impact of social science in the FSA. Last year, the group have completed substantive work developing a ‘good science’ quality assurance toolkit with UCL. The toolkit will support the commissioning of high-quality research across FSA sciences and can be accessed below. Working group members continue to be key contributors to the Social Science Gateway Process, and as such review the research questions and methodology of all new social science projects.
Economic support working group
This working group supports the application of economics to develop the robust evidence base which underpins FSA policy development; as well as enhancing our capacity in the application of regulatory and economic analysis to food regulation issues. The working group also provides an effective vehicle for establishing linkages with other organisations and experts, whose expertise is beneficial to achieving FSA outcomes in new and cutting-edge areas of economic research.
The group are currently supporting FSA research activity around the 2024 Spending Review. The aim of which is to address significant data and evidence gaps where the FSA is unable to quantify and demonstrate the impact of its policy interventions and activities. Outputs from the research will be used to develop a business case – underpinned by the best available economic evidence and analysis.
Understanding regulatory change working group
The Understanding Regulatory Change working group was created to support FSA research activity around how potential changes to food regulations may be perceived by, and impact upon, consumers and wider stakeholders.
The group have recently informed a review of evidence exploring consumer attitudes around potential change to the regulated products process, and made recommendations around key evidence gaps and future evidence needs.
Wider consumer interests working group
This working group looks at consumers interests in relation to food, beyond our food safety and regulatory remit. This includes themes such as health and nutrition, food affordability and food insecurity, and environmental sustainability. The group informs the identification of topics and appropriate methodologies to help the FSA build its evidence base on this topic.
Substantive work to date includes an external review of the FSA Consumer Insights Tracker. The review is now complete (see outputs) and made recommendations, which have, and will continue to, inform the CIT as an established product.
The group are currently exploring research questions around consumer understanding of ultra process foods, to support potential FSA work on this topic.