Five-a-day 'too expensive' for British families

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72919783  (Royalty-free)Collection:  PurestockYoung woman buying fruit in a supermarket25-30 Years   Apple   Blond Hair   Buying
72919783 (Royalty-free)Collection: PurestockYoung woman buying fruit in a supermarket25-30 Years Apple Blond Hair Buying



The Government has long been pushing the importance of getting your five-a-day, but according to new research, many families in the UK are simply unable to afford the recommended fruit and veg intake.


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A report published yesterday by consumer analysts Kantar Worldpanel revealed that while the average householder spends some £690 a year on fresh fruit and veg, to meet the Government's five-a-day goal, they would need to find an extra £810.

Researchers estimate that the cost of eating five-a-day for a full 12 months would be £1,500, and that's more than half what the average spends on their total annual food bill, typically £2,900.

In fact, just one in ten Brits are hitting the five-a-day target each week, and a shocking 53 per cent of shopping baskets are entirely fruit and veg free.

With the cost of fruit and veg rising since January, it seems no amount of supermarket offers can persuade many householders to fork out on healthy fresh goods. And while markets and specialist greengrocers are often the cheaper option, the convenience of supermarket shopping is just too tempting for most.

Giles Quick, director of Kantar, told The Grocer magazine that the cost of fresh fruit and veg in the UK was now "impossibly high", and said: "I think it's got to the point where a lot of people just give up."

What do you think? Do you find it hard to meet the five-a-day target because of the expense? Leave your comments below...

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