Australian families at breaking point as food stress hits record high amid interest rate rise 

New Foodbank Ipsos data reveals more than half of all Australians are struggling to put food on the table, a nine-percentage point jump in just one month as the Reserve Bank raises interest rates again

---

Wednesday 6 May 2026, SYDNEY – Alarming new data released today by Foodbank Australia reveals that food stress across the nation has reached its highest level in recent years, with more than half of all Australians (53%) reporting that they found it harder to put food on the table in April 2026, up from 44% in March, a staggering nine percentage point increase in a single month.

The findings, drawn from the Foodbank Ipsos Issues Monitor Omnibus Study (April 2026), paint a stark picture of a country where rising cost-of-living pressures are pushing families beyond their limits and deeper into food insecurity.

The data – captured prior to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s interest rates rise yesterday – shows the pressure on already stretched household budgets. For families who are already struggling to cover essentials like groceries, rent, and utilities, today’s rate rise will make an impossible situation even harder.

Foodbank Australia CEO Kylea Tink said the data should serve as a wake-up call for all Australians.

“These numbers are deeply confronting. A nine-point jump in a single month tells us that Australian families are at breaking point. This is the highest level of food stress we have seen in recent years, and it demands an urgent response,” Ms Tink said.

“Today’s rate rise will be devastating for millions of Australians who are already being forced to choose between paying their mortgage and feeding their families. People are being squeezed from every direction, and for too many, food is becoming the thing they sacrifice first.”

“On the ground, we are hearing that some food relief organisations are being forced to turn people away because they simply cannot keep up with demand. Foodbank will not do that. We are here to help, and we will continue to do everything in our power to ensure that no Australian goes hungry.”

As Australia’s largest food relief not-for-profit organisation, Foodbank distributes the equivalent of more than 90 million meals each year to people experiencing food insecurity. The organisation works with farmers, manufacturers, retailers, and governments to source and distribute food to more 2966 frontline charities and community groups across the country and a further 3,649 schools (via school breakfast programs).

Ms Tink said the sharp escalation in food stress, ‘which would be compounded by yesterday’s rate rise, underscores the need for a coordinated national response.

“When more than half the population is struggling to put food on the table, this is no longer a problem affecting only the most vulnerable: it is a mainstream crisis. We need governments, the corporate sector, and the broader community to come together and act decisively before more families fall through the cracks.”

Foodbank is calling on all Australians to support food relief efforts through donations of food, funds, or time. Every contribution helps ensure that families doing it tough can access the food they need.