Cost of living drives down UK children’s fruit consumption

Three in 10 parents say their children are eating less fruit than they were last year, according to a new survey commissioned by FareShare and conducted by YouGov.

The research shows that 34 per cent of parents are buying less fresh fruit now than a year ago, as the cost-of-living crisis continues to put pressure on household budgets.

A quarter of parents also said their children eat less fresh fruit during the summer holidays, a time when families face additional costs for childcare and food while schools are closed.

Despite the results, almost all respondents (89 per cent) recognised the positive impact of a diet rich in fresh fruit on the health and wellbeing of their children.

In response to the findings, FareShare is calling on the new government to help turbocharge the redistribution of surplus food, especially fresh fruit and vegetables. This is at a time when almost three million tonnes of good-to-eat fresh produce goes to waste on UK farms every year.

FareShare CEO George Wright said: “Thousands of the charities within our network are working extremely hard every day to support children and families impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. It is really worrying that so many children are struggling to access fresh fruit and, therefore, maintain healthy diets.

“In the UK, a huge amount of fresh produce, both fruit and vegetables, is wasted on farms every year when it’s still perfectly good to eat. We need the new government to partner with the redistribution sector to deliver more food to people in need.

“Our manifesto outlines how this can be done. We need their support to help get more nutritious food to children and help give them the best possible start in life.”

FareShare is celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year and recently launched its manifesto entitled ‘Where’s the Food? Strengthening Communities Through Surplus Food Redistribution’.

In it, the charity calls on the new government to make it easier for businesses to donate surplus food. The manifesto sets out plans that it says would significantly reduce food waste, support communities in need, and foster a more sustainable food system.

FareShare works with the food industry, including retailers, wholesalers and producers, to redistribute surplus food to over 8,000 charities and community groups across the UK.

In the last year, FareShare redistributed over 5,000 tonnes of fresh fruit to organisations, including youth groups, school breakfast clubs, and community centres.

The fruit is also used in snacks, picnics and cookery classes. One organisation, Sprouts Community Food Charity in Teesside, even makes smoothies using a specially designed ‘smoothie bike’.

Its manager Debbie Fixter said: “We often have people telling us that they would love to be able to buy the fruits the children like but just can’t afford it.  

“Given the current cost of living and the financial constraints many people are under, being able to provide affordable fruits as snacks really helps parents and carers.

“We can encourage healthy snacking habits from a young age, potentially reducing the risk of childhood obesity and related health issues.”

Nutritional therapist Kerry Lock added: “The results of this survey are really worrying. Access to fruit and vegetables is essential for our children’s healthy development and growth, strengthening the immune system, enhancing the academic performance in terms of concentration and memory, and provisioning fibre essential for a healthy digestive system.

“Establishing healthy eating habits at an early age is crucial for long term health and well-being, to help avoid chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes.”