Cost of living: People cut back on food shopping as price rises bite

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The rising cost of living is forcing households to cut back on food shopping.

A survey by the ONS found that nearly half of adults had bought less food due to higher prices.

The price of food was the most common reason for why people were spending more money.

Customers are cutting back on shopping, according to two supermarkets.

Some shoppers are asking cashiers to stop scanning items when the till reaches a certain amount as they try to save money.

The UK's largest supermarket said it is seeing early signs that shoppers are changing their habits due to high inflation, such as buying less food and visiting more frequently.

Customers were spending less in supermarkets because of the rising cost of living, according to feedback from supermarkets.

In May, sales in supermarkets fell by 1.5% and in specialist shops fell by 2%).

Helen Dickinson is the chief executive of the British Retail Consortium.

The ONS revised down its sales growth figure for April to 0.4% from its previous estimate of 1.4%.

Inflation in the UK is at its highest level in more than 30 years, with prices overall rising at their fastest rate in 40 years.

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According to the RAC, the average price of a gallon of petrol was the first to go over the $2 mark on Thursday.

The most recent rise in May was driven by food costs, with prices for bread, cereals and meat climbing.

The "horror" of April's unprecedented rise in energy bills "swallowed a much bigger slice of households' income and kept their appetite for spending under control".

"It's not just the rising bills of today that are worrying us, it's the prospect of even higher bills tomorrow, and fears of a looming recession, which might cause our finances to unraveling completely," she said.

It has been found that cutting back on food is one of the best ways to cope with the high cost of living.

A survey commissioned by the British Broadcasting Corporation found that more than half of people had skipped meals and less than half had bought groceries.

The fact that food is a necessity for everyone shows how important it is in our daily lives.

People heating their homes less will be the focus by the autumn and winter. Whether it is heating, eating, or both, people are going to be looking at where they can save some money.

In a survey commissioned by the British Broadcasting Corporation, more than 4,000 people said they thought their wages should increase.

There are strikes on the railways this week and BA workers are about to go on strike.

Employers are warned against giving out big increases in salaries over fears of a 1970s style "inflationary spiral" where firms hike wages and then pass the cost on to customers.

A long running measure of consumer confidence recorded its lowest score since it began in 1974.

The consumer confidence index fell to -41 in June from -40 in May.

Fuel sales volumes rose in May despite high petrol prices.

More workers returning to the office may be the reason for the increase in fuel sales.

She said the rise, along with boost in clothing sales, were offset by falls for household goods and department stores due to affordability worries and higher prices.

The proportion of online sales fell back in May but is still higher than before the swine flu epidemic.

What are you doing to cut back on food shopping? What are the things you're leaving out? You can email have yoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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