Australians dropping fruit and vegetables from diet amid cost-of-living crisis

ABS data shows consumers are buying less fruit and vegetables from supermarkets. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock

Australians are buying less fruit and vegetables and consuming less milk, as relentless increases in grocery prices upend eating habits, raising concerns over the nation’s health.

Overall, shoppers are buying less of just about everything, with consumption falling from 15.1m tonnes to 14.8m tonnes in 2022-23, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on Friday.