Consumers have turned to growing their own food in a bid to save money and eat better.
A new survey commissioned by the NFU’s Countryside magazine on how people are trying to deal with rising fuel costs and higher household bills found that more people have started producing their own food in the last three years.
The 3,700-strong poll showed that 26 per cent of people produce their own food, with vegetables the most popular (82 per cent) followed by herbs (52 per cent) and even milk and meat (both two per cent).
Of those, 67 per cent started doing so in the last three years, mainly to save money or because they claim home-grown food tastes better.
However, nearly half (48 per cent) have no interest in growing their own food because of lack of time or knowledge.
At the same time, 63 per cent say that buying local produce is important.
The survey found also that seven out of 10 over-55s fear that they will be worse off financially by the end of the year compared to just a third of people aged 18-24.
Rural dwellers are much more likely to be concerned about fuel costs (57 per cent) than those in towns and cities (44 per cent).
Londoners appear most isolated from the effects of the credit crunch, with 60 per cent believing they will be as well off, or better off, by the end of 2011.
