Survey: one in 3 Britons sleeps hungry

A new survey has found that one in three Britons is struggling to feed themselves or their family, with almost a quarter of the UK population saying that growing food prices remain one of the main causes of stress.

The survey commissioned by the consumer group Which? showed that as many people are failing to make ends meet amid a stagnation in incomes, eight in 10 Britons are worried that food prices are too expensive.

Furthermore, more than half of all population remains concerned about how to pay for their groceries if food prices continue to soar.

This comes as almost half of the population (45%) is spending a greater portion of their monthly available income at the grocery as compared to the last year, according to the survey.

Figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show food prices have kept rising above the general inflation by 12.6% during the past six years amid incomes stagnation.

The poll also found that 60% are worried about how they will manage their future spending on groceries if prices continue to rise, while, 41% described the rising cost of food as a source of stress.

Almost a third (29%) say they are struggling to feed themselves or their family because of the cost.

“While people seem to have accepted their grocery bill going up, stagnating incomes and rocketing food prices are causing stress and worry and leaving people wondering how they are going to cope”, said Which? executive director Richard Lloyd.

“Supermarkets need to make it much easier for consumers to spot the best deal by ensuring pricing is simple and making special offers genuinely good value for money.

“Politicians need to put consumers at the heart of their economic policies to tackle the rising cost of living and to support growth and prosperity”, added Lloyd.

The Trussell Trust is a charity that gives assistance to those people in crisis. Its executive chairman, Chris Mould, said the number of people who are dependent on food banks to survive has increased by 200% in the first quarter of this financial year compared to last year.

“The fact that one in three consumers say they struggle to feed themselves is seriously worrying. Food insecurity on this scale across the UK warrants urgent political attention. Until progress is made, the Trussell Trust food banks expect to provide an essential helping hand in times of crisis for an increasing number of people,” he said.

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