Which? is calling on supermarkets to do more to help consumers as an “alarming” number of households struggle with the financial and emotional impact of the cost-of-living crisis.
The watchdog said grocers – along with telecoms and energy firms – “can and should do more to help”.
It focused on supermarkets specifically, saying they needed to provide clear and comparable pricing and ensure affordable budget ranges are available in areas where they are needed most.
Which? made the plea after a survey suggested 65% of families – around 18.2 million households – had resorted to measures such as cutting back on essentials, selling items or dipping into savings to pay their bills.
A quarter of UK consumers (26%) are having trouble sleeping due to worries about paying the bills, the poll showed.
The survey also suggested an estimated 12.4 million households have already had to cut back on essentials such as buying fewer groceries and reducing their energy usage to make ends meet. This is double the number of families who reported being in the same situation last year.
Which? director of policy and advocacy, Rocio Concha, said: “Our research has found that many households are struggling with the financial and emotional impact of the cost-of-living crisis – with record numbers having to cut back on essentials just to stay afloat.
“Which? is calling on businesses to do all they can to support their customers through this extraordinary cost-of-living crisis. While government intervention is necessary, we also believe businesses across essential services can and should do more to help.”
The call for supermarkets to ensure clarity of pricing and affordable budget ranges comes in the wake of the latest Which? investigation into the grocery market.
Experts found that supermarkets are “letting shoppers down” by using inconsistent price labels and a lack of standardised unit pricing on groceries and shelf-edge labels, which makes cheap deals harder to find.
