New research from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has found that one in four people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are currently suffering from food insecurity – the highest level since tracking began in 2020.
In a survey conducted between October 2022 and January 2023, the FSA discovered that levels of food insecurity reached 25% – an increase from 16% when the survey was first run three years ago – as the cost-of-living crisis intensified.
The findings reported that 80% of respondents had made changes to their eating habits for financial reasons in the last 12 months, with 64% of respondents saying that they always check use-by dates before they cook or prepare food.
However, the government department found that the most common changes were related to what and where respondents ate, with 46% eating out less and adapting their shopping habits.
For example, 42% of people bought items on special offer more, and 29% of people prepared food that could be kept as leftovers more often.
The research also revealed that food prices remain the top food-related concern for people in the UK (65%), with food waste (62%), the quality of food (62%), and the amount of food packaging (56%) featuring amongst the most common concerns.
According to the Food Foundation, over a quarter (27%) of UK households with children under the age of four experienced increased food insecurity in January 2023.
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Chief executive at the FSA, Emily Miles said: “The latest data has shown increasing levels of food insecurity and a high level of concern about rising food prices.
“Consumers are continuing to make changes to their dining and grocery shopping habits in light of these concerns.
“The experiences that people are reporting to us are concerning and show the increasing struggle many people are facing with the cost of living.”
She added: “We will share these latest insights with the governments we serve in Wales, Northern Ireland and Westminster, so they can use them to inform their policy making.
“Collecting evidence about people’s experiences of food is part of the FSA’s role to protect public health and consumers’ interests in relation to food.”
In response to surging food costs, many UK retailers have been cutting the prices of everyday items to help consumers save as much cash as possible.
