The study will assess what information is already provided to consumers about allergenic ingredients in foods that are sold as non pre-packed and pre-packed for direct sale (also known as loose foods).
This will be done before a new EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation comes into force in December 2014.
The research will also help establish how the Agency can assist food businesses to adhere to the new regulation.
Under the new regulation, a food business will need to let the consumer know if any of 14 allergens have been added as an ingredient to loose foods that they sell.
The allergens concerned are peanuts, nuts, milk, soya, mustard, lupin, eggs, fish, molluscs, crustaceans, cereals containing gluten, sesame seeds, celery and sulphur dioxide.
More than 1,700 telephone interviews will take place with a range of establishments selling loose foods, as part of information gathering.
Food business operators will be asked about:
• The amount and type of information currently provided to consumers on the allergenic ingredients and how this information is provided.
• Their awareness of the new allergen labelling requirements and how they plan to comply with the rules from December 2014.
• What support they may require to do so.
Other issues that will also be explored are the prevalence and type of information currently provided about cross contamination of food allergens and 'free from' claims.
Follow up interviews with food business operators will explore in greater depth the issues that are raised during the survey, clarify possible barriers to change and potential solutions.