Rising costs are forcing three million UK households to skip meals, as consumers resort to drastic measures to cope with increasing financial pressures, according to a Which? report published on Thursday.
The conflict in the Middle East and subsequent surge in oil and raw material prices have led businesses to prepare for price increases, further straining household finances and dampening consumer confidence.
The Which? consumer insight tracker for the month to 10 April shows consumer confidence has fallen to -62, the lowest level since the peak of the cost of living crisis in 2022, down from -56 the previous month.
Most adults (71%) believe the UK economy will deteriorate in the next 12 months, with only 9% predicting improvement. Moreover, 85% are now worried about food prices, up from 83% in February.
To manage rising costs, families are compromising on shopping and eating habits: 43% are buying cheaper products, 37% are purchasing more supermarket-branded budget items, and 31% are buying extra items when on sale. Additionally, one in ten UK households now skip meals, and one in seven go without some foods.
Beyond food costs, eight in ten surveyed are worried about fuel prices, up from one in seven in February. Consequently, more than two-thirds of UK adults are adjusting driving habits, resulting in fewer leisure trips and visits to family and friends.
The Which? survey also found an increasing number of missed bill payments. The average rate of missed payments over the past three months has risen to 7.5%, up from 5.7% at the end of 2025.
Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: “Our latest research highlights the deepening strain not only on household finances, but also on people’s physical and social wellbeing as cost-of-living pressures bite. Without meaningful interventions, the number of people taking drastic measures is likely to increase.”
Which? is calling for urgent policy changes, outlined in a manifesto launched in parliament this week, which aims to address costs and widen access to essential items.
“We need to see urgent action, as set in our cost of living manifesto, to address these costs and help restore confidence before even more households are pushed into serious financial difficulty,” Concha added.
