Almost half of adults in Great Britain cut back on food spending – ONS

The ONS says said the 1.6% decrease in the volume of food sales appears to be linked to inflation, which hit a 40-year-high of 9.1% in May. Photograph: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images

Almost half the adults in Great Britain are cutting back on the amount of food they buy as the cost of living crisis forces them to trim their weekly supermarket shop, the latest official figures have shown.

In stark evidence on the effect of rising inflation on spending patterns, the Office for National Statistics said 44% of adults surveyed last month said they were buying less food – up from 18% at the start of the year.