Access to nutritious and healthy food is a basic human need. Yet, according to the Food Foundation, since January 2023 18% of households have experienced food insecurity, of those 57% of households have cut down on buying fruit and 42% have cut down on buying vegetables to save costs. The Social Market Foundation’s report suggests that fresh produce, is often thought to be too expensive. Fish and meat were often cited as being the most expensive with 44% of households finding them unaffordable, and around 17% suggested they thought fresh fruit was most unaffordable. In contrast, only 5% of households thought snacks such as crisps and chocolate bars were unaffordable, and just 4% thought soft drinks were. With households looking to cut back on food expenses during tough economic times, fresh and nutritious produce is often the first to be reduced rather than unhealthy snacks such as crisps and cookies, meaning some households lack sufficient nutrition in their diet. How can we encourage households to prioritise fresh produce over convenience foods and ensure that everyone has access to a nutritious diet?

This event will:

• Examine the reason for and impacts of a reduction of fresh produce in people’s diets.
• Evaluate initiatives that encourage purchasing fresh produce, for example having fruit and veg prescriptions and how realistic that is.
• Consider how shop lay outs and advertising influence consumer behaviour and how these can be altered to favour fresh produce.