Millions of households are skipping meals and buying unhealthy food as they find ways to cope with the cost-of-living crisis, according to the latest Which? report, which says supermarkets have a “crucial role” to play.
The research revealed that consumers are making huge changes to how they shop and eat as they feel the impact of soaring inflation, with many cutting back on food bills as they look for ways to “navigate the tough months ahead”.
Among those who said they are struggling the most financially, half (50%) said that their household was skipping meals, with almost eight in 10 (78%) of this group finding it harder to eat healthily compared to before the crisis.
As a result, Which? is calling on supermarkets to help customers with clearer pricing, promotions targeted at supporting customers on low incomes and widely available budget lines – particularly in locations where they are most needed.
More than eight in 10 (85%) people in the UK are already making changes to save money on food, with more than half (55%) looking out for food on promotion. Half (50%) of respondents said they are trading down to cheaper and own-brand products.
Which? has said it would like to see supermarkets improve budget range availability and make sure budget lines for affordable essential items are widely available across stores, particularly in areas where they are needed most.
It is also calling on supermarkets to make unit pricing clearer, more legible and consistent so that people can easily understand the best deal as well as asking them to offer ‘targeted support’ by focusing promotions, offers, vouchers and loyalty card benefits to support those places and households where people are most in need.
Which? head of food policy Sue Davies, said: “The devastating impact of the cost-of-living crisis is, worryingly, leading to millions of people skipping meals or struggling to put healthy meals on the table.
“Supermarkets have a crucial role to play in supporting their customers through this very difficult time. By making sure that everyone has easy access to budget food ranges that are also healthy, can easily compare the price of products to get the best value and that promotions are targeted at supporting people most in need, supermarkets can help their customers to navigate the tough months ahead.”
