Mapping the causes and consequences of food poverty

Food poverty is increasing in the UK as more people struggle to afford nutritious meals. According to latest official figures the number of people experiencing food insecurity rose from 5.2m to 7.3m between 2019 and 2023, meaning more than one in ten people are estimated to be impacted.  

Charities are at the forefront of supporting those affected, with figures from foodbank charity Trussell showing it supplied 2.9m emergency food parcels between April 2024 and March 2025. This is the equivalent of one parcel being handed out every 11 seconds and is a 51% increase compared to five years ago.  

Financial problems and rising costs are key reasons behind food poverty, but according to latest analysis by think tank New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) and Sainsbury’s sustainability department, the causes and consequences are yet more complicated, taking in a raft of other social and environmental factors too. 

In this article, we explore the research in more detail and consider how it can help charities better support and prevent food insecurity. We also look at the ongoing work of charities and their partners to tackle hunger in the UK. 

Mapping food poverty 

NPC and Sainsbury’s have turned to ‘systems mapping’ to better explore the complexity of food poverty. This includes understanding the many reasons behind the issue, its impacts, and how they interlock, to show how a wide range of support is needed. 

A key benefit of their systems map  is to see how one change in circumstances, such as losing a job or having a

baby, may have a follow-on effect on other areas of their life as part of a  “poverty loop”. This helps demonstrate how factors such as access to regular work, childcare costs, changes to welfare benefits, and debt to government through repayments, intertwine.   

As well as hunger, the systems map can also consider wider consequences of food poverty, including stigma and impact on children’s education. A “nutrition loop” is also considered, looking at several healthy eating issues such as available time to cook, access to nutritional food, and impact of advertising that promotes less healthy food. 

Sainsbury’s has been involved in the systems map to improve its corporate responsibility initiatives, to tackle hunger and show the need for wider support, involving partnerships across charities, supermarkets, and government, says NPC.  

A systems map approach to food poverty can also support the wider food industry, government, and charities to maximise the impact of their work and to further highlight the need for collaborative working.  

NPC says that while “food banks and other crisis support services are essential in providing immediate relief to those who can’t afford to eat” there is a “need to invest in interventions that provide wraparound support to individuals, such as benefits advice and mental health support”. 

Tackling food poverty – Trussell’s perspective 

Food poverty charity Trussell runs food banks, lobbies government, and supports young people who are impacted by food poverty. Across the UK, it runs 1,400 food banks, supported by 36,000 volunteers and thousands of community groups and schools.  

The charity’s structure includes having a youth participation group with experience of food poverty to help the charity develop its work and run programmes. This initiative has included young people meeting with artists to learn new skills, creating educational resources, and attending events and online activities aimed at tackling food poverty.   

School resources include a pack for teachers featuring true stories from young people to help break down barriers, stereotypes, and stigma facing families impacted by financial hardship.  

The charity also regularly raises awareness of the complex reasons behind food poverty. In May 2025, the charity highlighted the case of single father Andrew who was forced to stop work for health reasons and has been forced miss meals to rely on food banks due to low welfare payments.  

“I do what I can to make ends meet,” said Andrew. “I make sure my daughter doesn’t see that I am regularly skipping meals so that she can eat. I eat whatever is left on her plate when she’s finished. I lost almost two stone last year through not eating enough.”  

Tackling food poverty – FareShare’s perspective 

Food distribution charity FareShare, works with supermarkets and the food industry to redistribute surplus food to charities. During 2023/24, it handed out 56,000 tonnes of food, reaching nearly one million people, and worked with 8,000 charities.  

Further research by the charity in its 2024 annual report found that more than nine in ten charities can provide more food through their partnership with FareShare, and two in three parents say their children do better in school by accessing free meals provided. More than four in five people say they eat more fruit and vegetables through accessing redistributed food. 

Among FareShare’s corporate partnerships is a five-year link up with Premier Foods announced in 2022 that sees the food firm donate food directly to the charity.