Wouldn’t it be great if it was easy for us all to eat well and healthily – including ‘greener’ greens and fairly-traded fruit?

The reality is unfortunately very different. We are sliding quickly into a food crisis, with those on low incomes hardest hit.

One in five of the UK’s population now lives below the poverty line, which has prompted Oxfam to launch projects in our own country, in addition to much more deprived areas of the world.

Food poverty is a very serious issue, as shown by the huge rise in food banks – an important source of food for those in need, but they can only ever be a temporary part of the solution.

The signs suggest that healthy eating is becoming increasingly difficult for those on low incomes. Fruit and vegetable consumption is plummeting, most notably among low-income households. The latest statistics show that this demographic eats an average of just 2.7 portions per person of their 5-a-day.

Non-governmental organisations, academics, policymakers and leading food businesses have been exploring the concept of ‘sustainable diets’ – in essence diets that are healthy for people and for the planet. What’s been largely missing from the debate is the critical issue of affordability.

In my view, we should be paying a ‘true’ price for the food we eat – with prices reflecting the true environmental and social costs of producing and consuming food.

That will inevitably mean that some food becomes more expensive. However, it’s also critical we explore what mechanisms there are for helping those on low incomes be able to afford healthy, sustainably sourced food – including tackling the root causes of poverty. Somehow we need to square the circle of paying more for at least some of the food we buy, while ensuring everyone has access to it. It’s not easy, but it’s an urgent challenge we need to address.

Government departments are starting to wake up to this – for example Defra is looking at the principles of a sustainable diet, plus it has recently commissioned work into food aid.

I’m encouraged that the issues are beginning to be recognised, but it’s not yet enough. It’s high time we as a society valued our food – especially our fruit and vegetables – more highly.

The good news is that eating well doesn’t necessarily mean spending more. If we didn’t waste 22 per cent of edible fruit and vegetables, we could buy and pay less but eat better.

We need to accept that food prices are on a long-term upward trend and collectively we need to take the necessary steps to ensure good food is available to all.—