Rising food costs are also having a negative impact on the sleep, diet and overall physical health of people across the UK.
We are urging supermarkets to do more to help shoppers, as MPs prepare to grill supermarket bosses in Parliament today about high food prices during the cost of living crisis.
Women and families among the worst affected
Rising grocery prices aren't just affecting shoppers' mental health: one in five (21%) said it's also having a detrimental effect on their physical wellbeing. A similar number (22%) said it had worsened their sleep.
Almost a quarter of people (23%) said that rising food prices had hindered their ability to eat a healthy diet.
These effects vary according to gender and age. Three in 10 (30%) women told Which? that their mental health had worsened as a result of soaring food prices, compared with 20% of men.
A third of people aged 35-54 – those most likely to be parents of young families – said spiralling food costs had had a negative impact on their mental health. They were more likely to be adversely affected than those aged 18-34 (27%) and 55 or over (18%).
Find out more:The heartbreaking impact of rising food prices
We've heard some devastating stories about how soaring grocery prices are affecting people.
One person told Which?: 'It’s a black cloud that never goes away.' Another said: 'I just dread going to the shop. I worry about money as food is so expensive and stress that there is not enough food in the house for the kids to eat and that I cannot afford healthy foods.'
A third person said: 'I've cut down on fresh food, I cook less and I eat much worse.'
We also heard from people who said they go 'days without eating' and have become vitamin-deficient. One said: 'I’m not healthy or sleeping well and I am suffering from depression.'
Find out more:'I feel like a pressure cooker waiting to explode'
With food inflation still stubbornly high, Which? is concerned that consumers' mental and physical health will continue to suffer without urgent action to alleviate the financial burden.
Elena, a mum of two from Merseyside, told us her mental health had suffered because the cost of baby formula has increased. She said: 'My baby has reflux and yet we can't afford to buy the anti-reflux baby milk. It's gone up from £11.50 in 2021 to £14. If your body doesn't produce milk, it isn't a choice – you shouldn't have to pay a premium for something which is a necessity. Thinking about it brings me to tears.
'I didn’t have babies until I was financially stable. We should be doing well, but instead we are looking at an uncertain future. We have worked very hard for what we have and I feel so angry that we and other families are not being looked after. That all builds and builds and I feel like a pressure cooker waiting to explode.'
Find out more:Affordable Food for All campaign
While multiple factors in the food supply chain are contributing to rising prices, Which? strongly believes supermarkets could be doing more to help shoppers.
We want supermarkets to stock budget-range healthy foods in their smaller convenience stores, especially in areas where they are most needed.
Supermarkets must also commit to clearer unit pricing, especially on promotions and loyalty card offers, so that people can easily work out which products offer the best value.
Given the urgency of this cost of living crisis, we believe the government must act now and work with supermarkets to make a real difference to the millions of people struggling to put food on the table.
Sue Davies, Which? head of food policy, said: 'Which? research shows how the sustained stress and worry caused by rising food prices is now having a detrimental impact on people's mental and physical health. Women and young parents are among the worst affected, and some people struggling to feed their children are asking themselves how much more of this they can take.
'Now is the time to act. The government must urgently get supermarkets to commit to stocking essential budget ranges in all their stores, particularly in areas where people are most in need, as well as make pricing much clearer so shoppers can compare prices and find the best value products.'
About our research
Which? surveyed 2,000 adults in the UK between 19 and 23 May 2023. Fieldwork was carried out online by Opinium and data has been weighted to be representative of the UK population (aged 18+).
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/food-prices-impacting-peoples-mental-and-physical-health-which-finds-acRKv4U1NsWi