Uncover the challenges faced by England's poorest families as they strive to afford a healthy diet amidst rising food prices.
The cost of maintaining a healthy diet has reached alarming levels for the poorest families in England. Recent findings reveal a stark reality where nutritious food is becoming increasingly out of reach for many.
The disparity between the cost of healthy and unhealthy food has widened significantly.
This growing divide is putting immense pressure on low-income households, particularly those with children.
The escalating cost of nutritious food
According to the Food Foundation’s Broken Plate reportfunded by the Nuffield Foundationhealthier food options are nearly twice as expensive per calorie compared to less healthy alternatives.
This price gap has been exacerbated by the fact that foods high in fat, salt, and sugar are the only group to have seen a price decrease in the last year.
The report highlights that protein foods experienced the largest annual price increase at 4%, followed by fruit and vegetables at 1.7%.
This trend is making it increasingly difficult for families to adhere to the Government-recommended Eatwell Guide.
The prevalence of fast-food outlets
The study also found that fast-food outlets make up a quarter of places to buy food in England, with this figure rising to more than one in three in the most deprived areas. This proliferation of fast-food options is contributing to the challenges faced by low-income households in accessing healthy food.
Households in the lowest income fifth of the UK population would need to spend 49% of their disposable income to afford the recommended healthy diet, up four percentage points since 2026. For households with children, this figure skyrockets to 85% of disposable income, marking a 15 percentage point increase since 2026.
The impact on children’s diets
The data, gathered last year before the Middle East conflict, indicates that families are set to face even greater pressure to afford food in the coming months. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey reveals that just one in 10 of those aged 11 to 18 eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, while 95% consume more than the recommended amount of free sugar.
The Food Foundation is calling for urgent action to address this crisis. Their recommendations include mandatory reporting by businesses of healthy food sales, a support package for low-income families to afford healthy and sustainable food, and a Good Food Bill to provide long-term nutritional security and protection for consumers and farmers.
Anna Taylorexecutive director of the Food Foundation, emphasized the urgency of the situation: “The Broken Plate report reveals that it is becoming increasingly difficult for struggling families to afford and access a healthy diet, despite promises from the Government to create the healthiest generation of children ever and reduce child poverty. This isn’t good enough.”
Lynn Perrychief executive of Barnardo’sadded: “We know parents are making major sacrifices to ensure their children can eat as well as possible within their budgets. However, with the cost of everyday essentials remaining persistently high, healthy food is still out of reach for many families.”
Sonia Pombohead of research and impact at Action on Salt & Sugarstated: “This new report lays bare the reality facing millions of families in that healthy food is increasingly unaffordable while products high in fat, salt, and sugar remain cheap, heavily promoted and far too widely available.”
