Canteen Survey Stats Take 222 2008

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Student Union17th February 2008

ResultsCanteen Survey

Produced By Bronach McNally-Grewal Page1

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TERMS OF REFERENCEThe City of Wolverhampton College Student Union Executive, requested areport on the findings of the survey, that was undertaken in January 2008.

The survey was a recommendation made at the Canteen Forum Group inDecember 2007. The Student Union agreed to carry out this survey.The Student Liaison team were asked to collate the findings and submit areport as enclosed.


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I ABSTRACT PAGE 4II INTRODUCTION PAGE 5

III SURVEY RESULTS PAGE 6- 11IV FINDINGS PAGE 12V CONCLUSION PAGE 15VI BIBLIOGRAPHY PAGE 16


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I. AbstractThe canteen is a service that is available to both student and staff, with no

competitive opposition unless staff or students decide to leave the premises topurchase elsewhere. However it is not easy to take up other options given thetimetabling arrangements around morning, midday break and lunchtime andso the canteen is realistically the only choice.Students who use the canteen service have regularly expressed concernsaround costs, quality of food and accommodation. So the survey wascompiled to investigate concerns of the customers for the canteen ourstudents and staff

It will require further negotiations with Aramark and the college to improvethe expectations of our food, prices and healthy options.


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I I IntroductionsAt the Canteen Forum Meeting in December 2007 it was suggested we carryout research via a questionnaire. The student union body agreed to carry outthis survey, in view of the concerned comments made by both student and

staff about the canteen services. These comments came from student councilmeetings, canteen forum meetings, visiting student union officers and informalcomments overheard in such places as the staffroom, corridors and canteenitself. This could not be ignored any longer and it was decided that a surveywas required to obtain views from the regular users about their concerns andrecommendation for the canteen.The canteen survey was undertaken between 14th January- 31st January2008. It clearly shows a need to look at the current canteen contract, as manystudent and staff believe the canteen to be expensive and the choice of foodto be very limited or of cheap quality. Others feel that the food is not available

when requested or that the canteen closes at inappropriate times.137 staff and 349 students completed the survey, totalling 446. This surveywas conducted across both main campuses- Paget Road and WellingtonRoad. The figures stated are combined figures from both campuses. Abreakdown of each campus is available if required.


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III Survey results:Overall we had 446 completed questionnaires. The pie chart below indicatesthat 72% of the survey was completed by students, who are the main users.

Many of the students and staff were eager for change, as prices continued tocreep up sometimes unnoticed. For example, a piece of toast up to 25pence per slice.Many also commented: that the toast should be made freshon request, as it sits there from early morning until mid-day.

Question 1

Staff

28%

Students

72%


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Question 3: Do you use the canteen facilities?

yes

66%

no

34%

It was shown that of those who used that canteen cross college. 66% usedthe canteen service.This included

Counter service

Vending machine

Or bring their own lunch

question 4

1, 152, 34%

2, 294, 66%

34% of users brought their own food, whereas 66% of the users either optedto use the vending machine or the counter service.

Many commented:The fruit , toast, sandwiches were expensive


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Only if I were desperate I would use the canteen I bring my ownlunch

Food choice very limited

Quality of food poor


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Question 5 Do you think prices are?

Expensive

67%

Affordable

17%

Average

14%

Other2%

At student council meetings, on several occasions, students indicated thatprices were excessive to the norm. Many staff commented that the priceswere expensive, particularly the healthier options. (New School FoodStandards)The survey indicated that 67 % felt it was expensive, followed by affordable at17%. and the average at 14%

Comments made include:

Pieces of fruit were expensive

Ought to display menus and prices more clearly

Discrepancies on the prices at both main campuses and vendingmachines

Portion sizes and prices should be equal across campuses

Possible NUS discount on food

Unclear menus For example, meal deals have additional costs forvegetable portions!

Confectionary was more expensive that the regular outside outlets


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Question 7: Is the food you want always available?

Yes

51%

no

49%

The availability of food in the canteen was pretty even split, where 49% of theusers felt the was not readily available and the 51% thought the food wasreadily available...

Items that regularly showed up on the survey include: Jacket potatoes

Soup

Fresh produce

Healthy optionsNot always being available, not cooked or sold out by 1.00pmMany commented on the use of the plastic cutlery, which can be difficult whencutting some items. They also break easily.Additional comments included the following observations andrecommendations:

a need for more social space

Ventilation in the canteen seating area

Not enough seating

Paget Road was very grey and depressing

Wellington road shop did not accommodate wheelchair access

Discrepancies in prices across campuses, including both vendingmachine or at the counter!


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IV FindingsPerusing through the findings of the survey regular comments indicated aconsensus to review the canteen facility and service. This was divided into totwo sections

1) Observations 2) Recommendations

The points suggested below are comments pulled wholly from the survey.However the rude comments have been omitted to justify the realisticconcerns that both student and staff have in relation to the service providedby Aramark.Observations Recommendations

Use of knife use to cut toastand sausages sandwiches-unsuitable for veggies!

Sausages are on display fromearly morning till lunch time

We have responsibility toeducate students to eathealthy meals Better variety offood available at all times

Fresh produce

Freshly prepared toast- on

request Feel squished feel like a

battered chicken

Canteen tables should becleaned more regularly

Hot food should be covered upfrom sneezing, and foreignbodies flying in!

The grey windows depressing

The dcor at Pagetdepressing

High table push up against wall

Shop at Wellington Road notsuitable for wheelchair access

Students go elsewhere

Some staff friendly perhapsothers could be encourage tosmile

Too many staff doing the samejob- lacks leadership

Burgers are rubbish

Price and portion sizes crosscampus have discrepancies

More people to serve food

Metal knives and forks

Staff in canteen should weargloves and hair nets

Food description- on what theycontain: red amber and greenlights

More water machine in thecanteen area

Split hot counter from drinkcounter improve speed of

queues More seating area

Two tills

Display menus

Prices clearer

Food on Friday (classes after2.00pm)

Separate area for staff

Possible discount to NUSholders

Canteen temp to be warmer New franchise

Ventilation

Better facilities for disablestudents

Another eating area

More social space required

Healthier food

Better portions

Better food- not processed


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Everything is expensive except the breakfast which isjust about edible

In reflection with the observations and recommendations, they are logical and

straight forward to consider.

1. Discrepancies cross campus on prices and portion should not beoccurring

2. Improving the accommodation area making the social space lessdepressing

3. Improving food quality4. Implementation visible signage for vending machines5. Implementing visible prices of products, that are easy to under stand6. Introduce good food labelling7. Split drink and food counter the main cause for long queues8. Staggered breaks to minimise queue times9. Display menus cross college including the intranet

When considering the recommendations regards school dinners and theJamie Oliver initiatives, the government has introduced new initiatives toimprove peoples awareness around better school dinners. Further detailscan be found onwww.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/index/asp, The introduction of New school standards , information is available via the local authority plusgrants for lunches, is not just limited to schools.

A quotation from school food trust gives us all good reason toconsider change with our current counter service at college.

School dinners are about to get a bit of a makeover.

The Government is introducing a number of changes to the traditional schoolmenu over the next few years. It aims to improve the standard of schoolmeals and the health of teenagers across the country, which often isnt greatas a result of them not eating healthily.

The changes include meals that use fresh meat and fish, a wider selection offruit and vegetables and make it easier to get still and sparkling water. Thenew menus will offer you more choice from a range of tasty healthy meals.

Fast facts

Here are a few facts about the health of teenagers that may surprise you:

Its estimated that by the year 2020, 30 per cent of boys and 40 percent of girls will be obese

Around half of all 15-year-olds have some sort of tooth decay, thanks inpart to fizzy drinks


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A single sachet of salt on your lunch gives you two-thirds of therecommended daily amount

Food for thought

Improving your eating habits wont just do wonders for your health; it can helpyou out in a number of other ways. For example, eating more oily fish canimprove your brain power and increase your level of concentration perfectfor exam time.

Snacking on fruit instead of packets of crisps and biscuits keeps your skinlooking great, while drinking lots of water stops you feeling tired and keepsyou hydrated- which helps you get fewer headaches and means that youreless likely to reach for that can of fizzy drink

As an education establishment, we must take responsibility in re-educatingstudents, introducing better food choices.

Linking with the Ethos and guidelines of Every Child Matters (ECM), thecanteen alone can make a positive measure to improve students health andwellbeing, in their prime teenage lives.For example:

1. Be healthy:increase healthier options and include the red, amber andGreen labelling for good food

2. Stay safe:improve seating and general accommodation-3. Enjoy and achieve :social space, 4. Make a positive contribution:listen to recommendations taken on

board5. Achieve economic well-being:prices being displayed

Further research via the internet; provides ample evidence for the need toimprove food consumption for our young today. Not only does it improvesconcentration but improves achievement.

The following website addresses will support our findings in the necessity to

improve the food choice at college:

www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/health/obesity

http//publications.everychildmatters.gov.uk/default.asp

www.foodinschools.org/policies_report/every_child.php


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V ConclusionsMany observations and recommendations confirm the need for change. Manysuggestions are straight forward, can be considered immediately.

Overall our customers, the students who completed 72% of thequestionnaires clearly requested value, quality and change in a number ofareas:

Accommodation

Cutlery

Health options

Less processed food

Cheaper fruit

Clearer guidelines on prices Signage at vending machines

Improve disability access

Staggered tea break alleviates queues and stress for canteen staff

Also taking a leaf from the healthy school guidelines, where many studentsopt college as their next step in education, and by offering a limited choice ofgood food, then are we not portraying the opposite to what schools haveattempted to improve?, via the Jamie Oliver initiative.

Since the survey was undertaken additional problems have been raised with

the Student Union and at the current Student Council Meeting this term.The introduction of costs for the following items:

Paper plates

Paper bags

Including the price of the sauces sachets, they have increased to 10p and themilk distribution for hot drinks is via a communal jug, which causes problemsfor many of our students with disabilities.

The Student Union Executive would like you consider this report and findingsin depth and fully support future negotiations in this field.


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VI Bibliography

www.foodinschools.org/policies_report/every_child.php

www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/health/obesity

http//publications.everychildmatters.gov.uk/default.asp

www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/index/asp,

Jamie Oliver


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