The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has awarded a contract for a large scale tracker survey on public attitudes to the environment worth an estimated £591,500 in total.

Defra is seeking to obtain information via the research to assess the public’s awareness, attitudes and behaviours in relation to its core policy remit.

Defra was looking to put the contract in place for an annual survey starting in September 2020 and to conclude in August 2021 (Wave 1), with the option to extend the contract to deliver a second annual survey commencing in January 2022 to conclude in August 2022 (Wave 2).

An initial survey wave was undertaken as a pilot project in 2018/19.

Defra said the survey on attitudes to the environment will provide data on public attitudes which can be embedded into the development and communication of policies, and shape the work which Defra undertakes.

The Department has a strategic requirement to monitor public attitudes to the environment over time, providing insight about changes in public attitudes across its broad remit and in response to the evolving context of the UK’s relationship with the EU.

The initial contract term is 2 years with three further annual extension options.

Data, insights and research consultancy Kantar Ltd. has been awarded the contract, one of eleven firms in the bidding for the work.