British families could save more than £1,100 a year on their grocery bills by swapping fresh fruit and vegetables for frozen alternatives, according to new research from the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF).
The findings come as the government continues to promote its “5-a-day” healthy eating campaign, while food price inflation leaves many households struggling to afford nutritious diets.
The BFFF’s analysis compared supermarket prices for fresh and frozen versions of five commonly bought staples – broccoli, spinach, mixed vegetables, strawberries and blueberries. An average 80g portion of fresh produce costs around 46p, compared to just 30p for frozen, saving 80p per person per day for those meeting their 5-a-day target.
For a family of four, that equates to a saving of £22.40 per week – or roughly £1,165 a year.
The study forms part of the BFFF’s Frozen Food Revolution campaign, launched to highlight the affordability and nutritional benefits of frozen food. The initiative coincides with Frozen Food Week (13-19 October), which encourages shoppers to rethink their freezer habits.
A survey by consumer insight platform Vypr, commissioned by the BFFF, found that over half of UK adults (51%) say the rising cost of fresh fruit and vegetables has made it harder to meet their 5-a-day target.
BFFF chief executive Rupert Ashby said frozen produce can play a key role in helping families maintain a healthy diet on a budget.
“A healthy diet plays a huge part in the nation’s wellbeing, both physically and mentally. But for too many families, the rising cost of fresh food has put good nutrition out of reach,” Ashby said.
“These figures show just how much of a difference frozen fruit and vegetables can make. Not only is frozen fruit and vegetables every bit as nutritious – and in some cases even more so – but they are significantly more affordable and far less likely to end up wasted. Frozen food really is a win-win for health, happiness and household budgets.”
The federation also highlighted the practical and nutritional advantages of frozen food. Freezing “locks in” vitamins and minerals that quickly degrade in chilled produce – with studies showing chilled spinach retains only 20 per cent of its vitamin C content after seven days, compared to 80 per cent in frozen spinach.
Separate research from Nomad Foods’ Frozen in Focus report suggests that households could save even more if they used their freezer space more effectively. Nearly one in five consumers believe they could save £6-£10 a week simply by keeping better track of what’s in their freezer – adding up to around £530 a year.