The latest Food Standards Agency (FSA) Food and You 2 survey conducted between October 2022 and January 2023 has found that levels of food insecurity have reached 25%, with three quarters of respondents classified as food secure.
The biannual statistic survey of consumers covers topics such as food safety in the home, food shopping, eating out, food security, concerns about food, and trust in the FSA and food supply chain across three nations and was first launched during the start of the pandemic.
For the first time the survey reviewed whether consumers are making changes to their eating habits as a result of financial struggle. It found that almost half (46%) were eating out less, and 42% and 29% were buying special offer items and relying on leftovers more often, respectively.
Food prices remain a top concern, with 65% citing this as a worry. Food waste (62%), quality (62%) and the amount of food packaging (56%) were also big contenders.
Despite the high levels of food insecurity, 76% of respondents said they had confidence in the food supply chain.
Other interesting insights that came from the survey include a high level of confidence in the food safety, at 93%.
Meanwhile in related news, researchers have discovered that while curbing food waste could help improve food security levels it has limited environmental benefits.
