Food insecurity impacts nearly half of Australia’s low-income households, according to Foodbank.
The national food relief organisation’s latest Hunger report found that around 2 million households faced ‘severe’ food insecurity in 2024. This can involve eating smaller portions or skipping meals.
defines ‘low-income households’ as those that earn less than $30,000 per year.
Here’s the latest.
Food insecurity
Food insecurity is a term used to describe the experience of having limited options or access to food. This is often due to financial pressures.
Foodbank describesas a spectrum, which can include anxiety about paying for food, skipping meals, and going days without eating.
Food insecurity can lead to health, dietary, and nutritional issues.
Methodology
Foodbank conducted an online survey with over 4,200 Australian adults in July and August this year.
The data was representative of Australia’s population and different states/territories.
32% of respondents reported moderate to severe food insecurity in 2024 and were asked further questions about their experiences.
Here’s what they said.
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Food insecurity in high- and low-income households
32% of households in Australia experienced some level of food insecurity in 2024. This equates to around 3.4 million households.
97% of severely food insecure households feared running out of food before their next payslip or support payment in the past 12 months.
79% of severely food insecure households have been unable to buy food due to a lack of money in the past year.
34% of households earning less than $30,000 a year are severely food insecure, up from 30% in 2022.
Severe food insecurity in households that earn $95,000+ per year has eased from 23% in 2022 to 10% in 2024.
69% of single parents experienced food insecurity in 2024, up 2% from last year. 35% of two-parent households reported food insecurity — a 10% decrease from 2023.
Choices
Households experiencing food insecurity were twice as likely to:
Reduce the amount of dairy products in their regular shopping list
Spend less on cleaning products like detergent, soap, or shampoo.
Purchase less fresh produce and protein
