Rural Britain is becoming ‘food desert’ for lower-income families, study finds
Summary
A new study from Sheffield University shows that many low-income families living in rural Britain have trouble accessing affordable, healthy food due to shop closures and poor transport. These rural areas are becoming “food deserts,” where people must travel far to find fresh food, which makes living costs harder to manage.Key Facts
- Over half of households earning under £40,000 a year in rural areas struggle to find affordable fresh fruit and vegetables.
- 52.5% of low-income rural households live more than 20 minutes’ walk from the nearest shop selling fresh produce, compared to just 7% in poor urban areas.
- Food insecurity means people cannot regularly get nutritious food due to lack of money or nearby shops.
- Rural food deserts exist despite these areas being central to the UK’s food production.
- Factors like high food prices, rising energy costs, fewer village shops, and poor public transport make the problem worse.
- Some urban edge and coastal communities also face food deserts, with local campaigns for supermarkets often unsuccessful.
- The study surveyed over 14,000 households across England and Scotland with incomes below £40,000.
- It recommends a national review to identify food-poor areas and suggests support for low-cost food options like food clubs and social supermarkets.
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