Over the past month, about 15% of UK households have cut back on some foods and roughly three million are skipping meals to save on their weekly shop.

Food price worries have surged to 85% of UK adults, driving changes such as buying cheaper products (43%), increasing use of budget own-brand items (37%), and choosing items on promotion (31%).

A Which? Consumer Insight Tracker shows three million households cutting back on food amid the cost-of-living crisis, with consumer confidence at its lowest since 2022.

Rocio Concha of Which? warns the financial strain is ongoing and calls for immediate action to stop more households sliding into financial hardship.

Concha urges adopting the Cost of Living Manifesto to restore confidence and prevent more households from severe financial difficulty.

Which? is pressing for urgent policy interventions, including reform and uprating of the Healthy Start scheme, expanded Universal Credit eligibility, and greater supermarket support to ensure access to a healthy diet.

The group’s Cost of Living Manifesto advocates uprating Healthy Start, widening Universal Credit eligibility, and promoting supermarket support to help low-income families afford healthy food.

Which? has launched a Parliamentary cost-of-living manifesto calling for urgent policy changes to safeguard access to affordable, healthy diets.

Fuel-price concerns are high at 83%, with 69% of people changing driving habits, leading to fewer leisure trips (33%) and more careful trip planning (23%).

Rising fuel worries are prompting adjustments in travel behavior, including avoiding leisure trips and planning journeys more carefully.

In response to fuel costs, households are trimming social activities and altering routines to save money.

Common consumer responses include buying cheaper products (43%), opting for budget own-brand items (37%), and shopping on promotion (31%).