Over 9 million people in Britain believe that they may have eaten mislabelled or mis-sold food within the UK, according to a new survey.

The new data, taken from a poll of more than 1,000 members of the public, raises concerns regarding food safety in Britain, particularly linked to allergen management and meeting the ethical expectations of consumers.

The findings have been shared by High Speed Training, an online training provider, which also highlighted the importance of ensuring stringent standards are defined for accurate labelling at all levels of the supply chain.

“It is evident that we require greater transparency between businesses and consumers regarding accurate labelling, so that people can feel safe and confident in what they are purchasing.”

A recent report from the online training provider has also revealed that nearly half of hospitality managers in the UK (44 per cent) consider British employees to fall short of their European counterparts in their knowledge and commitment to food safety.

The research also found that more than 350,000 people signed up to complete Veganuary, and Richard Anderson, head of learning and development at High Speed Training, believes this to be as a result of a growing number of people in the UK feeling susceptible to food fraud.

“There has been a dramatic shift in the way we consume food, with millennials opting for more plant-based diets being just one example,” said Anderson.

“It is evident that we require greater transparency between businesses and consumers regarding accurate labelling, so that people can feel safe and confident in what they are purchasing.”