Junk Food: Families Bought More In Recession

Families are turning to cheaper, fattier foods to help keep bills down in the wake of the recession, according to researchers.

Studies carried out by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) show that falling incomes and rising prices meant customers were buying more processed foods with increased saturated fat and sugar content.

Families with young children and pensioners were among the worst hit, with researchers also finding that the quality of produce is dropping.

The Food Expenditure and Nutritional Quality over the Great Recession report studied 15,850 households' purchases from 2005 to 2012.

It found that between 2005-07 the average household spent £102 a month per adult.

This fell by £4 (3.9%) on average as the recession struck and by 2010-12 was down by £8.70 (8.5%).

Over the same period, the nutritional quality of food bought declined.

Kate Smith, a research economist at the IFS, said that households have responded to higher food prices and income squeeze by switching to cheaper calories over the recession.

"This has coincided with a fall in the nutritional quality of foods purchased, with moves away from fresh fruit and vegetables and towards processed foods," she said.

"As a result, the average saturated fat and sugar content of food purchases has increased over this period."

A separate report published by the IFS, Gluttony In England? Long-Term Change In Diet, found the average weight of an adult man has increased by 19lb (8.6kg) and the weight of an adult woman by 17lb (7.9kg) but said the cause was a "puzzle".

The study found that despite a rise in consumption of junk food it was not enough to counteract the substantial reduction in the number of calories being bought by households since 1980 - between 15% and 30%.

Calories from alcohol purchases were also down 6.4%, it said.

Melanie Luhrmann, an IFS research associate, said they were surprised to find a substantial decline in total calories purchased at a time when obesity has risen.

"Purchases of snack foods, soft drinks and food out have increased, and now account for a greater share of calories for most households," she said.

"However, calories purchased for consumption at home have declined strongly and account for the bulk of households' food purchases.

"This does not mean that poor diet plays no part in rising obesity.

"But understanding the interaction between diet and physical activity is clearly crucial."

Both reports were funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the European Research Council.