ABS data shows Australians are eating less fruit and vegetables - Health

Apr 15, 2024

Cozzie livs strikes again.

Data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), has found that from 2022-23 Australians are eating less food across the board.

While all major food groups were affected, the biggest drop was seen in the produce aisle. Fresh fruit and vegetables were the hardest hit, with vegetables experiencing the largest decline of 14 grams per person per day, closely followed by fresh fruit which saw a decrease of 12 grams per day. Additionally, the consumption of milk products witnessed a decline of 11 grams, while non-alcoholic beverages saw a decrease of 9 grams.

The findings underscore a significant shift in the dietary habits of Australians, prompting concerns about nutritional adequacy and its broader implications on public health. Unsurprisingly, the study attributes these lower consumption estimates to food price inflation, a factor that has been steadily impacting households nationwide.

A closer examination of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) supports the belief that skyrocketing food prices have negatively impacted Aussie’s consumption of fresh produce, finding a substantial increase of 13.9 percent in the cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks over the past 24 months. This increase is a stark contrast when compared to the 4.9 percent increase in the previous three years.

Parmesan chicken nuggets with three dipping sauces

The ABS report stated, “The recent price increases in food, along with a general increase in all consumer prices is consistent with a lower volume of food being purchased despite the value of food retail turnover in 2022-23 exceeding previous years.”

Despite numbers in 2023 showing that shoppers had stopped purchasing snack foods to squeeze their pennies, this year potato chip chomping has risen around 16 percent and chocolate, naturally, has risen about 10 percent. The ABS also found chicken dishes like nuggets have increased by 2.6 per cent.

Australians are also taking the advice of a certain US CEO to eat cereal for dinner, with a spike of 9 percent in cereal sales over the last 12 months.

Rising living costs, coupled with stagnant wage growth, have placed considerable pressure on households, forcing individuals and families to make difficult choices about where they’re spending their money. Strategies set out by the ABS to combat this trend include putting strict policies in place to ensure affordability and accessibility to nutritious food for all Australians. Until then, we’ll keep closing our eyes as we tap our cards at the checkout.