Food insecurity is a critical issue in the United Kingdom. The Department for Work and Pensions produces an annual bulletin which reports on the level of food insecurity in the UK and recent statistics suggest a rate among UK households of 11%, comprising 7.5 million people. Among the 14.2 million people who were found to be in relative poverty after housing costs this figure was 25%, with 33% of children in poverty facing food insecurity.
In 2010 Trussell, the UK’s biggest food bank provider, operated at 35 sites; by 2013, this had increased to 650, and by 2019 this had more than doubled again to 1300. In the year 2024/25, there were a reported 2883 food banks in the UK, comprising 1711 locations administered by Trussell and at least 1172 independent foodbanks. Demand grew rapidly during the 2020s, with Trussell reporting that 69% more people accessed a foodbank in 2024 compared with 2019, and approximately 6.5 million people receiving charitable foodbank support in that year.
How does this relate to diet and mental health? Research in high incomes countries where food insecurity persists shows an association between food insecurity and compromised mental health – being food insecure may in and of itself be related to poor psychological wellbeing.
Most foodbanks rely on donations of food, and few have the facilities to store fresh produce such as fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, meat, fish or fresh bread. Foodbank parcels therefore tend to be composed of non-perishable items, often long-life, ultra-processed foods (UPFs); those who lack cooking facilities face further restrictions, with parcels focussing on dried products which can be made up using hot water from an electric kettle such as cup noodles, instant soups and porridge pots. There is a significant body of research suggesting that UPFs tend to have limited nutritional value, and their consumption is associated with poorer mental and physical wellbeing and overall quality of life. Food bank users may therefore face a double-whammy for poor mental health due to both being hungry and reliant on food which do not optimise psychological wellbeing.
In addition to storage issue, a further barrier providing fresh fruit and vegetables include funding and donation (where does the produce come from, or if it is to be bought directly by the food bank, who is providing the cash?). Exploring this issue food bank users suggests that there may be further barriers to uptake. If a fruit or vegetable is unfamiliar or unusual, people may be less willing to accept it in their food parcels as they may be unsure how to prepare it or whether they will like the flavour or texture. When food is in very short supply, accepting an unfamiliar item instead of one which is known and liked is a risk, and could also contribute to food waste.
Watch this space for further research on the topic!
