One in five households have uncertain or insufficient access to food as the cost of living hits. The Food Standards Agency has carried out reseach into changes in people's eating habits.
The findings in its Food and You 2 survey, conducted between April and July 2022, shows that most people surveyed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland had made changes to their eating habits in the last year. Financial reasons were the biggest driver.
Soaring prices have become the biggest worry for households with two thirds flagging them as their biggest concern. Food waste and the amount of sugar in foods followed with four fifths of respondents to the study citing them as a concern.
The worries have seen people eating out less and buying fewer takeaways. Many are cooking and eating at home more often.
Prices have also seen shoppers buying items on special offer more. They have also begun to change what they buy and where they buy it to try to get cheaper alternatives.
Emily Miles, Chief Executive at the FSA said: "Food and You 2 provides FSA and the rest of Government with robust data on what people think and do when it comes to food. We are seeing high levels of concern about food prices, as well as people making changes to their eating habits for financial reasons.
"The experiences people are reporting to us are critically relevant to the FSA's work as a regulator, and to our mission to make sure people have food they can trust. The FSA will continue to play our part in protecting health and consumers’ wider interests in relation to food."
