A shocking new survey has found that one in five parents have admitted to having to “skip meals” due to soaring food prices.
As the rising cost of living crisis unfortunately continues to make its impact felt nationwide, and with the effects of food poverty sadly still impacting thousands in all four corners of the UK, new research by Which? has revealed that the public’s trust in the supermarket and grocery sector has plunged to its “lowest point in more than a decade”.
Apparently, the last time Brits had this little faith in the industry was at the height of the famous horsemeat scandal.
According to the rating on the consumer group’s insight tracker, shoppers have now given the grocery sector a ‘confidence score’ of just +30 – which is on a scale of -100 to +100 – which makes it the lowest since the record-holding +24 in February 2013.
Which? also surveyed 2,000 people for its latest research.
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The consumer group said it believes the British public’s trust in supermarkets is plummeting due to food prices remaining “stubbornly high” – with 85% of people surveyed reporting they are worried about food bills and the cost of an average shop.
One in five parents admit to ‘skipping meals’ due to soaring food prices / Credit: Richard Bell (via Unsplash)
As well as shoppers’ falling trust in the sector and rising concern over food prices, the new Which? survey also sadly shone a light on how Brits shopping and eating habits have been impacted and forced to change as the cost of living crisis took hold – with as many as four in five (78%) surveyed admitting they have “adjusted” their habits in response to high food prices.
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The most common of these adjustments options has been to buy cheaper products (54%) or opt for budget range items (48%), while a quarter (24%) of people also told Which? they have had to “go without some foods”.
The most worrying of the survey finds is that one in seven shoppers (15%) said they were skipping meals to “cope with high food costs” – unemployed people (26%) and renters (24%) most likely to do so, as well as one in five parents and people on low incomes (below £21,000) also having to resort to going without food.
We’re calling on supermarkets to do more to help, especially in areas where people depend on supermarket convenience stores.
8% of the 2,000 surveyed also admitted to prioritising meals for other family members over themselves, and 4% had to resort to using foodbanks.
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The majority of people surveyed (54%) said “the most important factor” is that their average food shop is “as cheap as possible”.
Which? is now urging the major supermarket chains to start stocking more “essential budget range items” in their smaller convenience stores nationwide, so there’s more choice for shoppers to “feel the full benefit”.
“Supermarkets have the power to ease the huge pressure faced by shoppers, especially families and those on low incomes, by putting budget range items in hundreds of more expensive convenience stores,” explained Katie Alpin – who is the Head of Strategic insight at Which?.
“Our research has found that these stores rarely, if ever, stock the cheapest products.”
Featured Image – Aldi
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Popular pumpkin patch attraction describes ‘catastrophic’ impact of Storm Boelo
Daisy Jackson
Bates Farm, one of the most popular pumpkin patch attractions in the North West, has shared its heartbreak after Storm Boelo forced its closure on the busiest day of the season.
The Warrington-based family farm said the financial impact has been ‘honestly catastrophic’, after they had to cancel all tickets for Sunday.
Sisters Ali and Fiona Wilshaw, who run the farm, said it was simply not safe to allow members of the public onto the farm in the storm, with ‘crazy’ gusts of wind.
They later shared a video that showed their marquee was badly damaged and many footpaths turned to deep mud.
The sisters said they were ‘heartbroken’ to have to close at such a busy time, but stressed to followers that ‘your safety and our integrity will always come first’.
On Saturday, as Storm Austen and Storm Boelo chased each other across the UK, several people shared videos of themselves getting battered by the weather at Bates Farm.
And it’s pretty clear from that why Ali and Fi decided to cancel all tickets and close for the day on Sunday.
They wrote: “We have put in so much love, energy and investment putting on this event at this scale. The cost to cancel and refund everyone today on our busiest day of the season is honestly catastrophic, but business aside, your safety and our integrity will always come first.
“To think last night we were running round Tesco trying to stock up on milk and now we are in the depths of recovering the site to go again tomorrow. All emails and enquiries are being responded to as quickly as possible and we are doing our best to open up more available slots next week.
“We are being tested like never before, but pulling together in true force. Huge shout out to the whole team and Farmer Fi the absolute queen in any crisis.
“Thank you all for your patience and especially thank you to those who have sent such kind words and support, we are so grateful to have customers like you.
“We will be back tomorrow to enjoy the remaining of this tough season, we are putting in so many provisions with wood chip paths, undercover seating and an indoor barn to make your visit as enjoyable as possible. Ali & Fi.”
Anyone who had tickets to visit Bates Farm on Sunday will be refunded, and can book in for another date.
Bates Farm has safely reopened its autumnal experience and pumpkin patch today.
‘Violent’ Salford man jailed after raping two women he met on dating apps
Emily Sergeant
A man from Salford who police describe as ‘violent’ has been jailed after raping two women he met on dating apps.
Kenny Cox appeared at Manchester Crown Court for his sentencing last week (23 October) in relation to the rape of two women – one in November 2021 and one in September 2024.
The 46-year-old was arrested on 8 September 2024, charged and then remanded, before standing trial for both rapes in March 2025.
The trial, however, resulted in a hung jury, so a new trial commenced in August 2026, and Cox was then subsequently found guilty of two counts of rape and one of attempted rape.
It comes after, on 7 November 2021, one of the victims met up with Cox after connecting through a dating app. They went to a property in Salford, and after drinking alcohol together, the victim began to feel hazy and described herself as ‘feeling paralysed’ and ‘unable to move’.
It was during this time she was raped by the suspect.
After she was able to move, she left the property in a taxi and subsequently reported the incident to the police.
Cox was arrested on 14 November 2021 and bailed with stringent bail conditions not to contact the victim. But then, on 4 September 2024, he met up with a second victim, again after connecting through a dating app, and they went to a property in Salford where he raped her before she was able to leave and inform police.
Following the trial, Cox has been sentenced to 14 years in prison, with four years on licence.
He was also given an indefinite restraining order against the victims, and is subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
“I would firstly like to commend the strength of the victims in this case,” commented Detective Sergeant James Walsh, of GMP’s Salford Criminal Investigation Department. “They have gone through this trial process twice now and each time have has shown incredible courage to ensure Cox was put behind bars.
“He preyed on these women and is an violent, sexual offender.
“I hope this sentence and the subsequent sexual harm prevention order imposed gives the victims a sense of justice to help them try to move forward from this and put Kenny Cox firmly in their past where he belongs.”
Emily Sergeant -
29th August 2023 
