The Food Foundation estimates that more than 10 million people in the UK don’t get enough food to eat each year. And yet, more than 6 million tonnes of food goes to waste, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Gathering and redistributing surplus food, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, is one of the core goals of FareShare and other charity groups. But they say not enough of it is getting in the hands of those who need it.
A recent survey from FareShare and Yougov shows the potential impacts of both the cost of healthy food and the lack of access to it. Around 30% of parents across the UK say they are purchasing less fruit than they did in 2023. This despite 90% saying they understand the importance of it in their diets.
Though there was no data available on vegetables (or on potential upticks among other families), the decline is certainly notable and concerning. In recent years, there has been a massive messaging push from groups such as VegPower, celebrities and other organisations to try to increase consumption of produce in the UK, especially among children. So what’s holding that back?
“In the UK, a huge amount of fresh produce, both fruit and vegetables, is wasted on farms every year when it’s still perfectly good to eat,” says George Wright, CEO at FareShare. “We need the new government to partner with the redistribution sector to deliver more food to people in need – our manifesto outlines how this can be done. We need their support to help get more nutritious food to children and help give them the best possible start in life.”
Around 25% of parents say their kids are not really turning to fruit in the summer months, a surprise given the fresh, sweet and juicy appeal of peaches, watermelon and strawberries.
FareShare knows first-hand what is being delivered and consumed by families due to its vast network that serve those in need – all of whom will eat what is provided to them. FareShare’s connections include some 8,000 charities and groups that serve communities.
“Thousands of the charities within our network are working extremely hard every day to support children and families impacted by the cost-of-living crisis,” Wright says. “It is really worrying that so many children are struggling to access fresh fruit and, therefore, maintain healthy diets.”
