Three quarters of people in the UK have worried about the cost of food over the past year, or know someone who has, according to new polling commissioned by Amnesty International UK.
The findings have prompted Amnesty to call on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to introduce a Right to Food Bill, while the SNP has used the figures to press the UK Government for further action on the cost of essentials.
Amnesty’s polling found that 75% of people had worried about food costs during the previous year or knew somebody who had.
Among those people, 81% said they were now more worried than before, while 85% of respondents said it was unacceptable that some people could not afford to feed themselves.
Amnesty is calling for the right to food to be put into UK law, with the organisation arguing that legislation should ensure everyone can afford and access the food they need.
The intervention comes as food affordability remains a major political issue across the UK and Scotland.
The Scottish Government has separately opened a consultation on introducing legal price caps on selected essential foods sold by large supermarket chains.
Its proposals could cover staples such as bread, milk and eggs, although the final design of any scheme has not been decided and the consultation remains open.
The Scottish Government says food prices in Scotland have risen by just under 40% over the past five years, outpacing average income growth over the same period.
SNP MSP Calum Kerr said:
“When Amnesty International is intervening on the cost of food in the UK you know that something has gone badly wrong but sadly this report will come as no surprise to anyone who does the weekly food shop, prices are going through the roof.
“The Food and Drink Federation have warned that prices are set to continue to soar well into next year putting yet more strain on already stretched household finances.
“It’s not just food prices.
“Energy bills are set to be over £1,000 higher than Labour promised, and the cost of fuel has also soared to record levels.
“It is no wonder people are dreading the long winter ahead.
“During the election campaign, John Swinney promised to take action to cap the price of essential items and voters backed him.
“Within the first 100 days in government, we have launched a consultation to deliver on this promise.
“While we take action to help with cost of living, opposition parties just want to stop us.”
The Scottish consultation is examining whether government intervention is required, which foods might be covered, how maximum prices could be set and how farmers and other primary producers could be protected from unintended consequences.
Any Scottish price cap therefore remains a proposal rather than an existing policy, while Amnesty’s intervention puts wider food affordability firmly back on the UK political agenda.
