British consumers in poorer areas are buying less food after its cost rose at the strongest pace since 1977.
(Bloomberg) — British consumers in poorer areas are buying less food after its cost rose at the strongest pace since 1977.
Sixty-one percent of those living in the most deprived areas said they were buying less to eat in November as a result of higher costs, the Office for National Statistics said Thursday.
The figures highlight the impact of a tightening squeeze on the cost of living, with inflation rising at the strongest pace in almost four decades. Food and non-alcoholic drink prices surged 16.5% in the year to November, the most since 1977.
The ONS said 81% of people surveyed by the Food Standards Agency said they were concerned about the cost of food during the Christmas and New Years period, up from 62% a year ago.
Those worries are feeding through to the health of the population, with 23% of those surveyed saying they have skipped a meal because they couldn’t afford to buy food.
The costs of wheat-based products, essentials like bread and pasta, is rising at a faster rate due to the impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine on global food supplies.
Read more:
- UK Households See Living Standards Fall for a Fourth Quarter
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