Three million UK households are being forced to skip meals and cut family visits, according to new research from Which?. This is due to cost of living pressures and collapsing consumer confidence. In their latest Consumer Insight Tracker, covering the month to 10 April, Which? found consumer confidence fell to -62 – the lowest level since the height of the cost of living crisis in 2022 (-70).
Widespread Pessimism Over Economy
This decline reflects widespread pessimism as the vast majority of UK adults (71%) think the UK economy will worsen over the next 12 months, while fewer than one in ten (9%) think it will improve. Which? found an overwhelming majority of UK adults (85%) are now worried about food prices – up from 83 per cent in February.
Lifestyle Changes to Cope with Rising Costs
This concern is forcing lifestyle changes as two thirds (67%) of households have made at least one adjustment to their shopping or eating habits in the last month to reduce how much they spend on food. The most common adjustments are buying cheaper products (43%), buying more supermarket own budget-range items (37%), and buying extra items when on promotion (31%).
Concerningly, Which? found one in seven (15%) UK households reported going without some foods and one in ten – equivalent to three million households – are now skipping meals to keep the cost of their weekly shop down.
Fuel Price Worries Rise Sharply
Food is not the only major concern for households. Which? found eight in ten (83%) UK adults are worried about fuel prices – this figure has shot up from 71 per cent in February of this year. Over two thirds (69%) have made adjustments to their driving habits to battle costs, with knock-on effects on their social and family lives.
Most common adjustments include making fewer leisure trips over the last month (33%), and planning journeys more carefully (23%). However, about one in eight said they had visited friends and family less (13%).
Which? Calls for Urgent Policy Interventions
With many households now reaching a breaking point, Which? is calling for urgent policy interventions outlined in a manifesto launched in Parliament this week to tackle unfair rip-offs and improve access to essentials. The manifesto includes a priority call to reform the Healthy Start scheme, a vital nutritional safety net for low-income families during pregnancy and early childhood.
Which? is warning that its value has failed to keep pace with food inflation and is urging the government to uprate payments, expand eligibility to all families on Universal Credit, and encourage supermarket support to ensure those struggling most can afford a healthy diet.
Seeking Support for Financial Difficulty
As financial difficulty continues to rise, anyone struggling to afford essential payments such as housing, bills or credit cards should speak to their provider immediately for support. Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: “Our latest research highlights the deepening strain not only on household finances, but also on people’s physical and social wellbeing as cost of living pressures bite. Many are already making difficult choices, such as skipping meals. Without meaningful interventions the number of people taking drastic measures is likely to increase. We need to see urgent action, as set out in our Cost of Living Manifesto, to address these costs and help restore confidence before even more households are pushed into serious financial difficulty.”
