The deepening cost-of-living crisis has resulted in one in seven adults – equivalent 7.3 million Brits – to be food-insecure. Families are under extreme mental health stress as they have been forced to cut back on food and skipping meals, a number that has risen by 57% – according to The Food Foundation. In light of Mental Health Awareness Week this week, ‘Smart Food’ innovators – yfood – have commissioned new national research that has investigated how the cost-of-living crisis has impacted the way that Brits are spending their money and the long-term effect on their mental and physical wellbeing. In turn, the landmark study has shown that the rise in living costs has resulted in close to 16 million Brits buying cheap food at the expense of their nutritional needs.

Key stats:

33% (15,845,000) agree they buy cheap food at the expense of their nutritional needs as a result of the rise in living costs
41% (19,816,000) associate healthy and nutritious food products with unaffordable prices
51% (25,084,000) tend to buy food that is cheap and will last longer
54% (26,511,000) agree they are more money-conscious than nutrition-conscious
As society adjusts to a world of rampant inflation, the findings revealed that prioritising finances has become the driving factor when it comes to purchasing food, with a staggering 54% of Brits agreeing to being more money-conscious than nutritious-conscious. In addition to this, 51% are surviving on cheap calories by opting to buy food that is more affordable and will last longer, such as frozen food and ready-meals. This all boils down to the common belief that healthy food is expensive, as further reflected in the data, which shows 41% of Brits associate nutritious food products with unaffordable prices.

Noel Bollmann, CEO and co-founder of yfood, has commented on the vital importance of maintaining nutritionally balanced diets:

“Our research has highlighted that despite wellbeing and health being at the forefront of our minds over the course of the last two years, there is still a lack of understanding as to where Brits can source their essential nutrients.

“Convenience has understandably become a significant motivator behind the food Brits purchase, but on occasion, this can lead to a nutritionally imbalanced diet. We therefore recognise that people want to eat simply but balanced. We make that possible by offering food’s with a complete nutritional profile that can be consumed quickly and easily at any time. Our products fall under a completely new category called Smart Food, which are based on nutritional as well as technological insights and enable people to eat a balanced diet anytime, anywhere. Our products contain everything that makes up a complete meal.”