Junk Food Sales Rise

The rising cost of healthy foods combined with high unemployment rates have been noted as causes for the move to foods high in sugar and saturated fat that has left 25 per cent of the British population obese and 70 per cent overweight.

Since the recession hit UK consumers have been spending around 8.5 per cent less on food, yet food prices continue to rise faster than increases in wage and inflation has stayed at 2.7 per cent.

The biggest increase in the consumption of saturated fat is seen in the 50+ consumer bracket, and families with children have been named as the biggest consumer of sugary foods.

The report advises that consumers have been choosing cheaper products, often with lower nutritional content, in line with the decline of household income.

However, the total calories purchased has declined substantially – the UK is consuming between 15 and 30 per cent fewer calories than in 1980 – so the high obesity levels have been linked to today’s increasingly sedentary lifestyle.