Summary

• A number of consumers prioritize healthy eating, with a third (33%) saying that making their store as healthy as possible is one of the most important factors to them.
• However, three in 10 consumers (28%) struggle to eat healthily, and for 51% of consumers, the cost of living crisis has made this situation even more difficult.
• This challenge has a more pronounced impact on lower-income groups. 55% of people in the DE groups have more difficulty eating healthily today than 2 years ago, while only 45% of people in the AB groups report the same challenge.
• The biggest barrier is the price of healthier foods, with 35% of respondents saying the price of healthy options prevents them from eating healthily on a regular basis.
• Most consumers expect government, supermarkets and food manufacturers to help them eat healthier. One action supported by six in ten (60%) consumers is for the government to set mandatory health targets for supermarkets, supported by reporting and monitoring.

Introduction

The UK continues to struggle one of the highest obesity rates in the worldimpacting both the quality of life and life expectancy of its population. This problem also seriously affects the UK’s productivity and economic growth and places considerable pressure on the healthcare system.

Which one? Index of priority places for food, developed in collaboration with the Consumer Data Research Center at the University of Leeds, provides a valuable tool for identifying areas where people are most vulnerable to food insecurity, understanding the causes and highlighting areas where Larger supermarkets can step in to provide better support.

This research explores the extent to which healthy eating is currently accessible, the main barriers people face in adopting a healthier diet, and the level of public support for key policy measures the new government could implement.

Eating Healthy Is a Key Priority for Consumers Consumers prioritize health and affordability when purchasing food. Affordability was the top priority, with just under half (48%) looking to make their purchases as cheaply as possible, reflecting the pressure many households face to stretch their budget. Additionally, 40% of consumers are actively looking for special deals and discounts, showing how important it is for people to find value in their everyday purchases in today’s market.

Health also plays an important role, with a third (33%) of consumers prioritizing healthier food options when purchasing food – this figure is consistent across all income categories. This tends to be more of a priority for older consumers: 45% of people aged 65 and over prioritize healthy eating, compared to 25% of those under 35.

Consumers are not getting the support they need

Despite the widespread desire for a healthy diet (65% of UK adults say they eat healthily), many consumers struggle to achieve this goal. Three in 10 people (28%) admit to having difficulty maintaining a healthy diet. This challenge is particularly acute among low-income households, with 36% of those in the DE groups reporting significant difficulties, compared to 26% of the AB groups.

The cost of living crisis has exacerbated this problem. Around half (51%) of consumers find it harder to eat healthily now than before the crisis, with a more pronounced impact on lower-income groups. 55% of people in the DE groups have more difficulty eating healthily today than 2 years ago, while only 45% of people in the AB groups report the same challenge.

This struggle likely takes a toll on their health, as more than a third (36%) of people who struggle to eat healthily describe their diet as unhealthy. These difficulties are likely caused by factors such as affordability and convenience. Notably, 35% of consumers find healthy foods too expensive, while 31% experience issues with convenience (e.g. finding unhealthy foods are easier to prepare or last longer) or time (28% say they lack time for cooking).

Supermarkets, food manufacturers and government have a role to play

Consumers believe they should receive more support from the government and the food industry. With around four in five consumers believing that food manufacturers, supermarkets and the government have a role to play in helping consumers eat healthily (88%, 86%, 82% respectively).

We asked consumers what actions they think these organizations should take. For ssupermarkets The most common action consumers say supermarkets should take is to make healthy foods more affordable (62%) and include more special offers on discounted healthy foods (61%). Restrictions on location-based promotions for foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) came into force from October 2022. This research reinforces the importance of the planned introduction of new promotional restrictions based on volume which will come into force from October 2025.

Additionally, almost half (47%) of consumers believe supermarkets should ensure clear labeling is used on the front of products. There is a national front-of-pack nutrition labeling system, based on traffic light color coding, which is used by a number of manufacturers and retailers and is supported by Which?. This is currently only voluntary and a common industry-wide program, supported by consumer research, must therefore be implemented.

Consumers, while seeking healthier options, desire flexibility and choice. Only a quarter of consumers (25%) support restrictions on unhealthy food promotions, and only 18% support raising prices for these products. Instead, there is greater support for an approach that prioritizes the accessibility and affordability of healthier choices.

For food manufacturersconsumers expect them to take proactive steps, like making healthier foods more affordable (56%) and reducing unhealthy ingredients (54%).

To facilitate these changes, government intervention is essential, since 82% of consumers believe that the government should promote healthier diets. One specific area where consumers see a role for government is in restricting television and online advertising, a measure supported by around a third of consumers (36% and 34%, respectively). The government has announced that new restrictions on television and online advertising will come into force in October 2025.

Another potential strategy, supported by six in ten consumers (60%), is for the government to establish mandatory health targets for supermarkets, supported by reporting and monitoring. This would prompt supermarkets to take a range of measures to encourage consumers to buy healthier products, including adjusting the prices they charge, balancing promotions or changing product formulations. This was proposed by NESTA, supported by Which? as the intervention is seen as relatively inexpensive to implement whilst providing supermarkets with a level of autonomy and flexibility in how they make these changes. NESTA estimates that setting a health target for the 11 largest food retailers, at levels similar to those already achieved by today’s ‘best’ players, could reduce calorie purchases by around 80 kcal per person per day. This would help around 4 million people achieve a healthy weight and reduce obesity by around 23% in Britain.

Prioritize the support consumers need

The research highlighted that there is a clear need to do more to help consumers make healthier food choices – and that consumers expect government and the food industry to do more. We also know that concerns about price prevent many consumers from achieving this. Interventions aimed at providing a choice of healthy and affordable options, building on measures already in place and coming into force next year, to change the balance of promotions, will likely benefit from greater public support. There is also strong support for long-standing issues that support informed choices, including consistent front-of-pack nutrition labeling and strict controls on advertising less healthy foods, particularly to children. The research also shows that, as well as potentially having a significant impact on population obesity levels and being a relatively inexpensive intervention, establishing mandatory health targets for retailers, as advocated Nesta and supported by Which? enjoys strong support from a majority of consumers.

Methodology

The field work was carried out by Over there on behalf of Which between 23 and 25 August 2024. A sample of 2,067 UK adults was surveyed online and weighted to be nationally representative.