Families cutting back on healthy food amid cost-of-living crisis

Experts warn that rising food insecurity in the UK could lead to malnutrition and rickets among less well-off families

One-in-five families are skipping meals or cutting back on healthy foods amid high food prices according to the Food Foundation food security tracker. 15% of UK households – eight million adults and three million children – experienced food insecurity in January, with experts warning this “health emergency” could lead to conditions like malnutrition and rickets among low-income families.

Professor Matt Padley, Co-director of the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University said this comes as no surprise: “Lots of households have seen their incomes really squeezed over the last couple of years, as the costs of basics such as food and fuel have rocketed, while earnings for lots of those in work have remained pretty much stagnant.”

He added that households must make difficult decisions about which areas of their spending to prioritise. “Food is one area which can be reduced with immediate ’savings’, but the consequences are becoming ever more evident.”

Spending on vegetables by UK households is at a 50-year low; Food Foundation data reveals 44% of food-insecure households bought fewer vegetables and 60% bought less fruit. In comparison, 11% of food-secure households bought less fruit and 6% purchased fewer vegetables.

“More deprived groups consume far less of healthy foods such as fruit, veg and oily fish helping to explain why we see such drastically different rates of diet-related disease between the least and most well off,” said Shona Goudie, Policy and Advocacy Manager at The Food Foundation.

The cost of healthy food compared to unhealthy food is a key reason for the disparity: healthy food is on average twice as expensive per calorie than unhealthy options. Goudie said, “Unhealthy food is a far more feasible option for people on low incomes trying to stretch budgets to the limit. Not only is unhealthy food often the more affordable option, but for many families it is the only affordable option.”

“Our newest findings highlight that supporting those on the lowest incomes to afford a nutritious diet should be a [central manifesto commitment] to improve health across the country.”

Research found the price of a “reasonably costed, adequately nutritious” weekly basket of food increased by 24-26% in the past two years. 45% of households receiving universal credit report experiencing food insecurity, and although levels have decreased slightly since 2023, the cost-of-living crisis means food insecurity is commonplace.

The Food Foundation urges all political parties to commit to ensuring that healthy, sustainable food is affordable for everyone. “With an election pending, the future of the NHS and improving public health are important priorities for all political parties,” said Goudie. “Our newest findings highlight that supporting those on the lowest incomes to afford a nutritious diet should be a central commitment being made in manifestos to improve health across the country.”

Dr Courtney Scott, Research and Policy Director, Food, Farming and Countryside Commission said, "Findings from the first phase of The Food Conversation show three out of four people think government is not doing enough to ensure everyone can afford healthy food, and they want big changes…from taxing big companies that produce unhealthy food to improving local supply chains and more.”

A government spokesperson said that it is committed to supporting low-income families and provided “one of the most generous cost-of-living support packages in Europe.” They added, “We have halved inflation, cut taxes and raised the National Living Wage so people have more money in their pockets to afford essentials, with our Healthy Start programme supporting families with buying healthy foods so children across the country get the best start in life.”

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