Consumer watchdog Which? has called on supermarkets to sign up to a 10-point plan to help consumers struggling with price rises amid the cost-of-living crisis.
It has said that supermarkets need to “do more” by making shelf prices easy to understand, making budget lines widely available and providing targeted promotions to support people in areas that are struggling the most.
Looking to find out the places most likely in need of support for affordable and healthy food, Which?’s ‘Priority Places for Food Index’ in collaboration with Leeds University found the North East to be the worst impacted with 45% of local areas “in dire need of extra support”.
This comes as many within the area have poor access to online shopping deliveries, supermarkets, while there is a higher need for food banks.
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Other areas in need of further support include a third of local areas within Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands and the North West, as well as constituencies in Birmingham and Liverpool.
For seven in 10 UK Parliamentary constituencies, the data shows that at least one area is in need of urgent help to access affordable food.
Wales was also found to have a higher level of of rural areas which has made accessing affordable food more of an issue than in England and Scotland, whereas Northern Ireland had the most even geographical layout of those needing further support accessing affordable food.
“We know that millions of people are skipping meals through the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades but our new research tells us where around the UK support is most urgently needed,” Which? head of food policy, Sue Davies said.
“The supermarkets have the ability to take action and make a real difference to communities all around the UK. That’s why we’re calling on them to ensure everyone has easy access to budget food ranges that enable healthy choices, can easily compare the price of products to get the best value and that promotions are targeted at supporting people most in need.”
