More Than A Quarter of Brits Eating Less Meat or Ditching It Altogether over Rising Food Costs

The survey of more than 3,000 UK adults also found that nearly two-thirds (61 percent) said they were buying fewer treats and snacks, while almost one in five (19 percent) admitted skipping meals or eating less because they could no longer afford as much food, The Independent reported.

Most people said rising costs had forced them to change the way they eat. Women were notably more likely than men to say they had missed meals, with one in five saying they had done so compared with 12 percent of men.

The findings, commissioned by cashback shopping app tuck., suggest the strain is being felt most acutely by lower-income households and women.

One in four say they feel mentally drained by financial concerns either every day or several times a week, while almost one in five (18 percent) said they worry about money every day. Only 7 percent said finances do not cause them any anxiety.

One in three (33 percent) people with a household income below £20,000 said they worry about money every day, compared with 12 percent of those earning more than £50,000 a year.

Women were also more likely than men to report feeling mentally exhausted by financial pressures, with 39 percent saying they experienced this every day or several times a week, compared with 35 percent of men.

The weekly grocery shop emerged as the biggest source of financial anxiety. Households reported spending an average of £94 a week on food – around £24 more than a year ago – with 61 percent saying lower grocery prices would make the biggest difference to their finances.

Neel Thakrar, chief executive of tuck., said the findings showed financial pressures were affecting people's wellbeing as well as their budgets.

"Financial pressure doesn't just affect people's bank balances; it has a real impact on their wellbeing too," he said, adding, "Families are having to spend around 34 percent more on the same weekly food shop than a year ago, forcing many to make difficult choices, including cutting back on treats, buying less meat and even skipping meals."

The survey was conducted among more than 3,000 UK consumers on behalf of tuck., a cashback shopping app.