91% of consumers report concern about food prices and 24% worry about affording food next month, FSA tracker finds

Almost one in four people say they are worried their household will not be able to afford food in the next month, according to the latest Food Standards Agency tracker. The figure was 24% in September and moved between 22% and 24% across the summer, broadly in line with the 24% to 26% range of the previous three months.

When shown a list of food-related topics in September, 91% of respondents said they were concerned about food prices, the most common answer. Ultra-processed food came next on 77%.

Concern about shortages

Concern about food shortages increased from 57% in July to 64% in September, and the agency described that as a slight rise over the quarter.

Asked about money-saving behaviours in September, 61% said they or someone in their household had eaten leftovers kept in the fridge for more than two days and 60% had eaten food past its use-by date. Those were also the top two in the previous quarter.

The agency cautions that its statistical tests are not exact, because the survey is quota-based, and that changes it flags would need further research to confirm. The monthly online surveys are run through YouGov among people aged 16 and over in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with 2,143 responses in July, 2,283 in August and 2,117 in September. September's fieldwork ran from the 4th to the 7th.