Which? has revealed the UK’s most at-risk areas for access to affordable food as it launches a10-point plan urging supermarkets to do more to support shoppers through the cost-of-living crisis.
Research from the consumer watchdog – in partnership with the Consumer Data Research Centre at the University of Leeds – revealed the places in the UK where households are likely to need extra support to put food on the table.
The innovative new study, named the Priority Places for Food Index, identifies neighbourhoods most vulnerable to increases in the cost of living, with a lack of accessibility to cheap, healthy and sustainable sources of food.
It ranks areas by looking at factors such access to online shopping deliveries and proximity to supermarkets as well as individual circumstances such as no car or a high take-up of support such as free school meals and healthy start vouchers.
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The research shows the North East is the most at-risk region in England, with almost half (45%) of the local areas in “dire need” of extra support. Other regions in significant need of extra help are Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands and the North West, with at least a third of their local areas facing difficulties.
Constituencies in Birmingham and Liverpool also feature heavily at the top of the index, with Birmingham Hodge Hill the highest-ranking in the index with 100% of its local areas believed to need extra support to access affordable, healthy food.
Which? believes that – while the government “has an important role to play” – supermarkets should provide targeted support in the areas that need them the most by making sure food is available and affordable, with prices which are easy to understand.
It has launched an Affordable Food For All campaign and petition, calling on the UK’s supermarkets to “take action and make a real difference to communities across the UK”. More than 36,000 have signed the petition at the time of publishing.
The 10-point plan sets out how retailers can do this, with a particular focus on clear pricing, better access to healthy, affordable budget ranges and more targeted offers and promotions aimed at those who need them most.
