Social and community supermarkets are emerging as an alternative model of support as food insecurity continues to take a hidden toll on millions of people’s mental health and self-esteem.
According to new research from award-winning social enterprise Community Shop, a third (32%) of people say experiencing food insecurity has negatively impacted their mental health, while three in ten (28%) say it has affected their self-esteem.
The findings underscore the urgent need to address the emotional and psychological impact of food insecurity, alongside the immediate challenge of affording essentials.
The research, conducted via Opinium, surveyed people who have faced situations where they could not reliably afford food or essential goods such as toiletries, nappies or cleaning supplies in the last year – equating to 17% of UK adults. The results highlight the significant scale of the issue, and its deeply intertwined emotional and psychological consequences.
Although only 22% of people who have experienced food insecurity have used a social or community supermarket, seven in ten (69%) say they would use one if it were available locally. Support for this model is also strong among the wider public, with 61% saying they would recommend a community shop to someone who could benefit and would welcome one in their local area.
Social supermarket Community Shop is one example taking a different approach, aiming to tackle the root causes of food insecurity in communities experiencing social inequality.
Rather than focusing solely on food access, Community Shop combines practical and emotional support through a three-space model designed to help people move forward with dignity.
There are 14 such Community Shop stores in the UK.
Gary Stott, executive chairman of Community Shop, said: “When we talk to people who are struggling with food insecurity, they rarely say their biggest problem is not knowing how to budget.
"What they tell us is that having someone to talk to, support with mental health, and a pathway into work or training can be just as important as access to affordable food.
“Too often, support starts and stops at the point of crisis. There is a real need to build on community-based support models like ours that provide a longer-term hand up, not a hand out, addressing the wider impacts of food insecurity and helping people rebuild confidence, wellbeing and independence, rather than just meeting immediate needs. That’s why this kind of community support matters so much.”