Rural Britain Becoming A ‘Food Desert’ For Lower-Income Families, Study Warns

Lower-income families living in rural Britain are increasingly struggling to access affordable, healthy food, with new research warning that large parts of the countryside are becoming “food deserts”.

The study, led by the University of Sheffield, found that households earning under £40,000 a year in rural areas face significantly greater barriers to buying fresh fruit and vegetables than families on similar incomes living in deprived urban communities.

Researchers discovered that while just 7% of lower-income households in deprived urban areas lived more than a 20-minute walk from a shop selling fresh produce, the figure rose dramatically to 52.5% in rural communities.

The report highlights how rising food and energy costs, the closure of village shops, limited public transport and supermarket logistics systems focused on urban centres are combining to increase food insecurity in the countryside.

Food insecurity is defined as poor access to nutritious food due to financial or physical barriers, often resulting in people skipping meals or relying on less healthy diets. The study noted that around one in eight UK households were estimated to have experienced food insecurity earlier this year.

Dr Megan Blake, senior lecturer and food security expert at the University of Sheffield, said the findings showed that food insecurity was not solely linked to income levels.

She warned that families living in rural “food deserts” with poor transport links and limited access to affordable retailers faced dramatically higher risks of hunger and poor nutrition than households with easy access to budget supermarkets.

The research was based on a survey of more than 14,000 households across England and Scotland earning under £40,000 annually. It also found that food insecurity affected working households as well as those reliant on welfare support.

The study calls for a national review of areas with poor access to affordable food, particularly in rural, coastal and post-industrial communities. It also recommends greater support for low-cost retail initiatives including food clubs and social supermarkets.

Separate reporting from the Cotswolds highlighted how some picturesque rural communities now lack basic food retail infrastructure, forcing residents to travel long distances for affordable groceries.

A UK government spokesperson said ministers were working to improve access to affordable and healthy food through measures including expanded breakfast clubs and wider free school meal provision.