"People don’t want handouts from foodbanks"- Preston food campaigner on price rises

“People don’t want handouts from foodbanks, they want dignified access to good food”, that’s the perspective of food campaigner Kay Johnson, founder of city food cooperative Preston Larder.

This week, reporter Catherine Musgrove recreated a £15 food challenge from 2021, and found that basic items for a week of family lunches had rocketed overall by 60 per cent - with some items up by 127 per cent.

Kay said the rise in food prices over the last five years isn’t just about inflation, claiming that it reflects a combination of factors including Brexit, rising energy and transport costs, supply chain pressures and global instability.

She said: “It’s also exposing deeper issues in our food system, and it has become significantly harder for families. I’m seeing more and more people who are on a reasonable income, doing everything “right”, but still struggling to afford fresh, healthy food.

‘Families are being pushed towards the cheapest options’

She added: “I think pieces like this (the Lidl £15 food article) are really helpful in showing just how far money needs to stretch, and how creative people have to be with their shopping. But it also highlights a bigger issue, that many families are being pushed towards the cheapest options available.

“What’s particularly concerning is that when budgets are squeezed, this often means relying more on cheaper, highly processed foods. People need affordable food, but we shouldn’t confuse cheap food with a long-term solution, it often comes at a cost to health, farmers and the environment. So this isn’t just a cost of living issue, it’s a public health issue too.

“Through my work in Lancashire, I’m also seeing that people don’t want handouts from foodbanks, they want dignified access to good food.

“The challenge is that in many areas, there simply aren’t enough alternatives. When we create local solutions, like food co-ops working more directly with producers, we can make fresh food more accessible while also supporting local farmers, but these options aren’t yet widely available and it’s something myself and others are working to change.

Kay’s practical advice

She added: “Ultimately, we can’t place all the responsibility on individuals. Until we address how food is produced, priced and distributed, families will continue to be squeezed.”