Recogida de datos

At household level, the average reported (median) amount spent on food per week (excluding alcohol) was £40.00 (Inter-Quartile Range (IQR) = £30.00-60.00). The Median (IQR)

amount of additional expenditure associated with undertaking weekly shopping (e.g. travel costs, child care) was £2.00 (£0-4.00). Table 78 shows the amount spent by households per week on food by household composition. The amount spent each week was, as expected, related to the number of members of the household, with larger households (e.g. 3 or more adults) spending more (median £70, IQR £50-85) than single person households (median £25, IQR £20-35). When the number of people was taken into account, the amounts spent were similar in different types of household and the median weekly spend per person was £22.5 (IQR £16.7-30) and £25.9 (IQR £20-35) per adult equivalent. However, one adult with one or more child households spent somewhat less per person than families with two parents, even when „adult equivalence‟¹⁷⁰ was taken into account. The median percentage of annual household income per adult equivalent spent on food was 17.8% (IQR 11.6-27.7) and this was similar for most types of household. The noticeable exception was single adults with one or more child households, where the proportion of annual household income per adult

equivalent was 27.7% (IQR 18.7-41.6).

Table 78: Amount spent on weekly food shopping by household composition

Household

* Adult equivalence is calculated as [1 + (0.7 X every additional adult) + (0.5 X every child) in the household]

The median amount spent on weekly food shopping (excluding alcohol) per adult equivalent in households was also explored by a range of socio-demographic indicators (Table 79 and Table 80). There was little difference between men and women (or between male and female main food shoppers – data not shown). The youngest two age groups spent least on food, followed by the oldest age group. There was a strong socio-economic trend with those in the lowest fifth for SEI spending a median of £23.50 (IQR £17.70-30.00), compared with a median of £31.30 (IQR £24.20-38.70) in the highest fifth. Similar patterns were seen in relation to education, unemployment and income, although current students spent a surprisingly large amount per adult equivalent (median £27.80/week, IQR £20.70-33.30).

Similar trends were seen in the percentage of annual income spent on food, with women, older people, the poorly educated, the separated, widowed or divorced, non-white ethnic minority groups, the unemployed and those in poorer social groups spending a greater proportion of their income on food (Table 79 and Table 80). The strongest of these trends was in relation to household income, where those in the highest fifth spent only 9.2% of their income on food, compared with 34.7% spent by the least affluent fifth.

Table 79: Usual cost of weekly food shopping and percentage of annual income spent on food per adult equivalent, by individual socio-economic variables

No. Median cost/week in £ (IQR) % of annual household income

University 898 27.6 (20.6-35.3) 11.9 (8.9-18.5)

Ethnicity

Table 80: Usual cost of weekly food shopping and percentage of annual income spent on food per adult equivalent, by household socio-economic variables

No. Median cost/week in £ (IQR) Median % of annual household income spent on food (IQR) Household income per adult equivalent

1. Lowest fifth 726 23.5 (18.2-30.0) 34.7 (27.0-55.5)

Employment status (Head of household)

Registered unemployed 152 20.0 (16.7-27.8) 34.7 (20.8-62.4)

Employed 1560 27.3 (20.6-35.3) 13.9 (9.2-20.8)

Other 1397 25.0 (20.0-32.4) 22.9 (15.1-34.7)

TDS

1. Most deprived fifth 586 23.5 (17.7-30.0) 25.0 (14.9-35.4)

2. 609 25.0 (20.0-30.1) 20.8 (12.5-34.7)

3. 619 26.2 (20.0-34.5) 16.2 (10.4-25.0)

4. 647 28.2 (20.6-35.5) 14.9 (10.4-22.7)

5. Most affluent fifth 692 29.4 (23.5-37.0) 14.9 (10.4-20.8)

Household member on benefits (excluding state pension)

Yes 672 23.5 (18.2-30.0) 27.7 (18.7-41.6)

Amount spent on food was also patterned by dietary and health variables (Table 81), with higher spending among those consuming more fruit and vegetables, more NSP and less fat.

Table 81: Usual cost of weekly household shopping and percentage of annual income spent on food per adult equivalent, by dietary and health variables

No. Median cost/week in £ (IQR)

Median % of annual household income spent on food (IQR) Fifths of fruit and vegetable consumption index

1. Lowest fifth 1007 25.0 (20.0-32.5) 17.8 (11.9-29.1)

2. 888 25.0 (20.0-32.6) 17.3 (11.6-27.7)

3. 1130 26.5 (20.6-34.5) 16.6 (11.6-26.7)

4. 1010 26.5 (20.6-35.3) 17.8 (11.6-27.0)

5. Highest fifth 1008 27.3 (20.6-35.3) 20.5 (11.9-28.3) Fifths of NSP consumption index

1. Lowest fifth 1008 25.0 (20.0-33.3) 17.8 (11.6-27.7)

2. 704 25.8 (20.6-35.3) 17.3 (11.9-27.7)

3. 1304 25.9 (20.6-33.3) 17.8 (11.9-27.7)

4. 1015 26.5 (20.6-35.0) 17.3 (11.6-27.7)

5. Highest fifth 1012 25.9 (20.0-35.3) 18.3 (11.6-27.7) Fifths of Fat consumption index

1. Lowest fifth 1010 27.3 (20.6-35.3) 16.6 (11.4-25.0)

2. 1016 26.5 (20.6-35.0) 16.6 (11.1-25.0)

3. 997 25.0 (20.0-33.3) 18.7 (12.3-27.7)

4. 1011 26.5 (20.6-35.3) 17.8 (11.9-27.7)

5. Highest fifth 1009 25.0 (19.4-32.4) 19.4 (11.9-29.6) Fifths of dietary knowledge score

1. Lowest fifth 1221 24.2 (18.0-30.0) 23.6 (14.2-34.7)

Underweight 70 21.5 (16.7-30.0) 17.0 (11.9-31.2)

Ideal weight 1104 25.0 (20.0-32.4) 16.2 (10.4-25.0)

Overweight 2144 25.9 (20.6-35.0) 16.6 (11.6-27.7)

Obese 1565 27.0 (20.6-35.3) 20.8 (13.4-29.7)

Self-reported Health

Very good 834 26.0 (20.5-35.0) 16.2 (10.4-245.0)

Good 1801 26.5 (20.6-35.3) 15.1 (10.4-23.8)

Neither good nor poor 1794 25.0 (20.0-33.5) 20.8 (12.5-27.7) Poor or very poor 555 25.9 (20.6-34.6) 24.3 (15.8-34.7) Long-term illness

None 2121 25.8 (20.0-35.0) 16.2 (10.4-25.0)

LTI without limitation 293 27.3 (20.4-35.0) 20.8 (12.3-28.1) Activity-limiting LTI 700 25.8 (20.0-34.5) 22.2 (14.9-34.7)

Amount spent was also higher among the obese and those with activity-limiting long-term illness. Those with greater dietary knowledge spent more on food than those with poor knowledge. Trends in percentage of income spent on food were patterned in a similar way, although there was no obvious relationship with NSP consumption (Table 81).

These socio-economic patterns in food spend were reflected in the types of shops used for main food shopping (Table 82). Those who shopped at discount supermarkets spent on average £22.90/week (IQR £17.20-29.40), whilst those who shopped at multiple supermarkets

spent £26.50/week (IQR £20.50-35.00) and those who shopped at department stores spent

£30.00/week (IQR £25.00-40.00).

Table 82: Usual cost of weekly household shopping and percentage of annual income spent on food per adult equivalent, by variables relating to retailing and food preparation

No. Median cost/week in £ (IQR) % of annual household income spent on food Main shop type

Discounters 335 22.9 (17.2-29.4) 25.0 (16.3-41.6)

Multiple supermarkets 2111 26.5 (20.5-35.0) 16.6 (10.6-26.7)

Department stores 65 30.0 (25.0-40.0) 17.3 (11.8-27.7)

Other stores 39 23.5 (20.0-30.0) 18.2 (13.9-34.7)

Not known 105 26.7 (20.0-35.3) 20.8 (12.5-27.7)

Frequency of shopping

Daily 249 28.0 (20.8-35.2) 25.0 (16.6-34.7)

2-3 times/week 1559 26.5 (20.4-35.0) 18.7 (11.9-27.7)

Weekly 1070 25.0 (20.0-33.3) 16.2 (10.4-25.0)

Once/fortnight 142 20.6 (15.0-29.4) 12.5 (7.4-27.0)

Less often 70 20.3 (15.0-30.0) 9.8 (6.9-18.9)

Usual mode of travel from main food shop

Car 1915 27.8 (22.2-35.3) 16.2 (10.4-24.3)

Taxi 155 25.0 (20.0-35.3) 25.9 (16.6-41.6)

Public Transport 402 23.5 (17.7-30.0) 24.3 (13.9-34.7)

Foot 484 23.2 (17.7-30.0) 20.8 (12.5-31.2)

Bike 12 29.7 (18.4-30.0) 17.3 (12.0-38.1)

SLI for cooking

Less adequate facilities 61 25.0 (17.65-30.0) 27.7 (20.8-54.1) Adequate facilities 3048 25.9 (20.0-35.0) 17.3 (11.6-27.7)

As expected the percentage of income spent on food was greater for those who shopped at discount and local stores and lowest for those who shopped at multiple supermarkets (Table 82). There was a strong gradient with frequency of shopping, such that those shopping daily spent the highest percentage of income on food, as did those who brought their shopping home by taxi, public transport or on foot, and those with less adequate cooking facilities.

Trends were also seen with frequency of shopping and mode of transport used. Those who shopped daily spent the most on food (£28.00/week), whilst those who shopped less than once a fortnight on average spent only £20.30/week. This is likely to be because those shopping daily are more likely to use local, convenience stores (where prices are higher) than larger multiple or discount supermarkets (see Table 62). Those travelling from shops on foot or public transport spent least, whilst those using a car or bicycle spent the most.