Millions of households struggling to put food on the table

Monday 17th October 2022, SYDNEY: On any given day, over half a million households in Australia are struggling to put food on the table, and disturbingly, those with children are being hardest hit.

Released today, the Foodbank Hunger Report 2022 reveals alarming details surrounding the food insecurity crisis the country is facing.

More than 2 million households in Australia have run out of food in the last year due to limited finances, sometimes skipping meals or going whole days without eating. This has meant that 1.3 million children lived in food insecure households during that time.

Unsurprisingly, the rising cost of living is the most common reason why so many are struggling to meet their household food needs, with the cost of food and groceries confirmed as the top cause followed closely by energy and housing costs.

Assumptions that this is affecting only those who are unemployed or homeless are incorrect with the research showing that over half of food insecure households had someone in paid work and a third of households with mortgages have experienced food insecurity.

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey, has witnessed the rise in demand for food relief services over the past year, but even she was shocked by the troubling picture of today’s Australia exposed in the report.

“We know how important it is for people to have access to nutritious food, yet the rising costs of energy, fuel, groceries, rent and mortgages have put this fundamental need beyond the reach of more and more people with no respite in sight,” said Ms Casey.

“These results should make everyone stop in their tracks. The numbers being reported are massive and hard to process, but they represent the harsh reality of living week to week when the cost-of-living crisis collides with an income crisis and the household budget now lists food as a discretionary spend,” said Ms Casey.

The report signals that the problem is only set to get worse with half of all households experiencing difficulty saying that being unable to afford food is happening more often.

The food relief charity is hoping that next week’s Budget will deliver positive change.

“We have heard the Treasurer caution that the October budget is not the time for new spending measures to deliver relief to struggling families, but with more than a million people a month already seeking food relief, if not now, then when?”

KEY STATISTICS

On any given day, over half a million households in Australia are struggling to meet their food needs.
Households with children are being hit harder than others (32% severely food insecure in the past year vs a national average of 21%) and single parent households are the worst of all (37% severely food insecure).
The rising cost of living is the most common explanation for why people are failing to meet their household food requirements (64% of food insecure households). Unpacking this, the cost of food and groceries is the top cause (49%), followed closely by energy (42%) and housing (33%) costs.
Over half of food insecure households (54%) had someone in paid work.
Nearly a third of households with mortgages (30%) have experienced food insecurity in the last year. The situation is even worse in regional areas (36% vs 27% in metro areas).
On a typical day, 306,000 households are receiving assistance from food relief organisations.

METHODOLOGY

This report presents key findings from the Foodbank Hunger Survey, which was conducted between 11 and 28 July 2022, through an online questionnaire of 4,024 people in Australia aged 18 years or older. The sample was nationally representative by age, gender and location (capital city / rest of state) in each major state, with stratified quotas to ensure all major states have a robust minimum sample size of n=600 or above. The data was weighted to nationally representative proportion of age, gender, state and location (capital city/ rest of state).

The term food insecurity covers a range of experiences – from being uncertain about getting enough food and compromising on nutrition right through to disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.

86 Million meals sourced by Foodbank as tough times continue

February 2, 2022

As Australia continues to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing poverty and inequality, and natural disasters, Foodbank Australia today revealed in 2021 it sourced 48.1 million kilograms of food and groceries, equating to 86.7 million meals, or 238,000 meals per day.

The country’s leading food relief organisation confirmed this figure is marginally down from its record 48.8 million kilograms of food and groceries sourced in 2020, in a crisis-filled year of Black Summer bushfires, drought, and the start of the pandemic with lockdowns initiated for the first time.

According to Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey, the continued huge volume of food and groceries needed for food relief is not unexpected, confirming many people are still doing it extremely tough.

“It’s not just COVID-19 contributing to food security issues in Australia” Ms Casey explained. “Right now, we’re seeing food supply problems in both Northern Territory and Western Australia after last week’s floods in South Australia cut both road and rail movement of food and groceries. Any supply chain interruption tends to hit vulnerable communities the fastest and the hardest, making our food relief efforts all the more important.”

“Although we are pleased to have been able to source this staggering amount of food and groceries in 2021 – a year in which many of our food donors and corporate partners also faced enormous challenges – it is a stark reminder of Australia’s ongoing hunger problem, which existed well before the global pandemic hit.”

“The Foodbank Hunger Report 2021 revealed one in six adults haven’t had enough to eat and 1.2 million children have gone hungry in the last year. We also know that two in five people seeking food relief do not get enough food for their household needs.

So, although 48 million kilograms seems like – and is – a lot of food and groceries, it unfortunately wasn’t enough to meet the current demand from those seeking food relief, let alone those who don’t even reach out for help because they think someone needs that help more than they do.

Foodbank sources a wide and diverse range of food and groceries to provide relief to more than one million people each month. Donations are sourced from the food and grocery sector and key staples are purchased thanks to funding from the Federal Government, corporate Australia and individuals.

Foodbank provides relief to 2,950 frontline charities and 2,890 school breakfast programs. It works with the entire Australian food and grocery sector including farmers, wholesalers, manufactures and retailers who donate and redirect surplus product to be distributed to those who need it most via Australia’s charity network.

“There’s no doubt of the size of the challenge we have in trying to ensure every Australian who needs food relief can access it, but thanks to the incredible generosity of Australia’s food and grocery industry and our many supporters, each day we are one step closer to achieving zero hunger in Australia,” Ms Casey said.

Key Statistics

In 2021, Foodbank Australia sourced 48.1 million kilograms of food and groceries which equates to 86.7 million meals, or 238,000 meals a day.
In 2020, Foodbank Australia sourced 48.8 million kilograms of food and groceries which equated to 87.9 million meals, an increase of nearly 15% on 2019.

According to the Foodbank Hunger Report 2021:

One in six adults in Australia haven’t had enough to eat in the last year
2 million children have gone hungry in the last year
One in three people struggling to meet their food needs are new to the situation
Two in five people seeking food relief do not get enough for their household’s needs
More than half of people impacted by severe food insecurity go a whole day every week without eating
64% of food insecure Australians have a job
Foodbank provides food relief to more than a million people each month

READ THE FOODBANK HUNGER REPORT 2021

SCA Embrace: Charity partnership with Foodbank Australia and Make-a-Wish Australia

13 December: SCA today announced a two-year partnership with Make-A-Wish Australia and Foodbank Australia as part of its charity program, SCA Embrace, commencing 1 January 2022.

Launched in 2016, SCA Embrace will continue its commitment to corporate social responsibility and the two charities will be provided with in-kind advertising campaigns, strategic support, and consumer insights as well as content and promotional support across SCA’s media assets. SCA staff will also be encouraged to be involved in areas such as creative ideation, research, local community activities, and volunteering opportunities.

SCA CEO, Grant Blackley, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with Foodbank Australia and Make-A-Wish Australia. We are all very aware of the difficulties the non-for-profit sector has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we look forward to supporting both organisations for this two-year term.

“Since its inception in 2016, SCA Embrace has provided $135 million of in-kind advertising to our charity partners. To know that our people’s time and expertise, along with our broad media reach is making a noticeable impact to the lives of many Australians is both a privilege and pleasure on behalf of our company and people”.

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey, said: “The issue of hunger in Australia is largely hidden by stigma and shame, but the reality is we’re all likely to know someone who has gone hungry in the face of hardship. This invaluable partnership with Southern Cross Austereo will deliver Foodbank a national platform to help speak on behalf of those who wouldn’t otherwise have a voice and help us get food relief to every adult and child who needs it.

“Foodbank is currently feeding more than one million people each month, but sadly, we know there are many more who don’t ask for help. They may feel someone else needs help more than them, or they may feel ashamed or embarrassed. Through SCA Embrace, we hope to break the stigma and tell the nation that it is ok to ask for help. Life happens to us all and Foodbank will always be here to help. We couldn’t be more grateful to the SCA team for believing in our vision of an Australia without hunger and we look forward to a long and impactful relationship that changes the lives of vulnerable Australians.”

Make-A-Wish Australia CEO, Sally Bateman, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be selected as one of SCA’s charity partners. Helping critically ill children find hope is something we all have the power to do. With our ‘Be Inspired’ program, and this important partnership with SCA Embrace, we will be able to reach millions of Australians across the country and make more incredible wishes come true for children with critical illnesses. With over 800 children patiently counting down the days until their wish is possible due to the impacts of COVID-19, there has never been a more important time.”

FoodLegal partners with Foodbank Australia

7^th December 2021: Australia’s experts in Australian Food Law, FoodLegal have become an official supporter of Foodbank Australia, the country’s leading food and grocery relief organisation responsible for distributing 48.8 million kilograms of food and grocery relief to 2,950 charities nationwide in 2020.

FoodLegal will continue to provide legal assistance and help Foodbank navigate and validate the not-for-profits’ requirements and that of its national donors around the acceptance and distribution of donated food and groceries.

FoodLegal works with food businesses to provide tailored compliance solutions and advice for the Australian market. FoodLegal CEO, Cheryl McLeod says FoodLegal is excited to expand its relationship with Foodbank Australia. “We very much look forward to working more closely with Foodbank to support its objectives in distributing safe, suitable food to those in need.”

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey says this donated service will be invaluable. “We thoroughly welcome FoodLegal to the Foodbank family. As a national supporter the team’s expertise and knowledge will help us ensure that we, our donors and our charities have greater assurance that we are meeting all legal requirements of redistribution safety.”

Foodbank Australia provides food and grocery relief to more than 1 million Australians every month. It works with the entire Australian food and grocery industry including farmers, wholesalers, manufacturers and retailers to source fresh and manufactured foods as well as personal and household care items for people doing it tough.

Donations include stock that doesn’t meet industry specifications, is close to expiry or excess to requirements. In addition, companies also make donations as part of their corporate social responsibility commitments.

“We are really grateful for the team at FoodLegal. Working with the complexities of donated food and groceries has occupied so much of our time to ensure we get it right so having the experts from FoodLegal on board, who will be able to do it in a fraction of what we can, is just invaluable.” Ms Casey said.

https://foodlegal.com.au/

Foodbank celebrates support from the land

Friday 19^th November: Today on National Ag Day, Foodbank Australia celebrates and highlights the critical role our farmers, growers and producers play to ensure nutritious, fresh food relief is accessible to thousands of communities across the country.

Foodbank works actively with Australia’s generous agriculture industry to provide more than 17 million kilograms of fresh produce, milk, eggs, rice, grains, legumes and protein needed to assist the more than one million Australians each month receiving food relief through the Foodbank network.

Despite enduring some of the toughest periods on record, Australian growers, producers and farmers have continued to support Foodbank throughout. In 2020, Foodbank sourced 88 million meals for its charity partners – 30% of which was sourced directly from our agri programs – and more than 40% of the food and groceries distributed through the Foodbank network nationally goes to rural and regional areas.

This year, Foodbank Australia has extended National Farmers’ Federation’s Ag Day from one day on 19^th November, to an entire week to raise awareness of the support it receives from the Australian agriculture industry and highlight the gaps where support is still needed.

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey, explains, “We are so fortunate to have such strong relationships with our wonderful growers, farmers and producers who help us ensure those doing it tough have access to fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy products, rice and so much more. We work with our partners all the way along our ‘surprise chain’ to rescue perfectly imperfect products, meaning we’re filling empty tummies rather than landfill, and ensuring our farmers’ hard work to produce world class food is not wasted. In addition, we have countless farmers and agribusinesses across the country making regular donations and engaging in seasonal programs to ensure we have a consistent supply of in-demand products year-round.

“This Ag Day, we not only want to say a massive thank you to everyone in the agri-sector, but we also want to celebrate this year’s theme, ‘Choose your #AgVenture’, highlighting the many and varied exciting careers in agriculture, both inside and beyond the farm gate. Whether you live in the city or in the country, there is an exciting career to be found in agriculture. My personal AgVenture in farm lobby groups and at Foodbank has been spent living in the city, but my connection to agriculture has been constant and enduring, and I couldn’t be more grateful to be working closely with National Farmers’ Federation members right across Australia as we strive towards zero hunger in Australia”.

Last month Foodbank revealed in the Foodbank Hunger Report 2021 that one in six Australian adults haven’t had enough to eat in the last year and, even more shockingly, 1.2 million children have gone hungry.

“We produce enough food and groceries to feed our population three times over, yet we know there are many people across Australia going without. Foodbank provides an avenue to connect those vulnerable Australians with essential food relief, much of which is donated by Australia’s world class farmers, growers and producers.

“This week is a chance for us to highlight our innovative agri-programs, securing a steady supply of everyday essentials like pasta, pasta sauce, cereal and sausages. In a country the size of Australia these programs couldn’t happen without the added support of equipment and transport providers to help us get it to where it is needed the most.”

Throughout the week, Foodbank will be highlighting its agri program partners and how their products make a difference to the lives of many in our communities across the country every day.

Foodbank would like to thank its national donors, agri-program partners and industry body supporters.

Foodbank sourced record amount of food and grocery relief in 2020

4^th FEBRUARY 2021: Foodbank revealed today it sourced a record amount of food and groceries in 2020 to meet the higher demand for food relief due to COVID-19.

Last year, Foodbank obtained 48.8 million kilograms of food and groceries via both donations from the food and grocery sector and the purchase of key staple items, thanks to funding from the Federal Government, corporate Australia and individuals. This record volume of food and groceries equates to 87.9 million meals – an increase of nearly 15 percent on 2019, enabling Foodbank to generate a social return on its activities worth more than $1 billion.

COVID-19 continues to have a devastating impact on many Australians, temporary residents and international students. In March 2020, when the pandemic hit, Foodbank was forced to upscale fast to meet the immediate demand for food relief. Charities reported demand for food and grocery relief increased by an average of 47% throughout the year as businesses closed and jobs were lost. The Foodbank Hunger Report 2020 released in October, revealed more than a quarter (28%) of those experiencing food insecurity due the pandemic had never faced it before.

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey, says it has been an incredibly demanding period and the organisation could not have met the urgent need without such widespread and significant support.

“We are so grateful to our very generous donors and partners, who continue to enable us to source essential items and ensure we can quickly get them to those who need them the most. Last year saw us face one crisis after another; off the back of a persistent drought and the catastrophic Black Summer fires, we then had to reach out and ask for even more support in March when COVID-19 hit and unemployment rates skyrocketed.

“In a ‘normal’ year, Foodbank provides relief to more than 815,000 Aussies every month, but 2020 wasn’t a normal year and in the three months from April to July, Foodbank purchased more food and groceries than we had in the previous three years. Without our donors and partners, and the support of the Federal Government, we simply couldn’t have responded in the way we did.”

Foodbank provides food and groceries to over 2,400 charities and 2,500 schools. More than 40% of all food and groceries distributed by Foodbank nationally goes to regional and rural communities. The leading hunger relief organisation works with the entire Australian food and grocery sector including farmers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and retailers who donate and redirect surplus product so it can be distributed and those who need it most via Australia’s charity network.

Foodbank accepts donations of ambient, chilled, fresh food, private label products and personal and household care items. Products may be out of specification, close to expiry, deleted product, surplus to requirement or have damaged or incorrect packaging. If your organisation can help Foodbank provide food and groceries to vulnerable members in our communities, please email supplychain@foodbank.org.au

Foodbank bracing for a further rise in hunger

12^th OCTOBER 2020: Foodbank, Australia’s leading food relief organisation, today reported that demand for food relief is up and believes it has not yet seen ‘peak hunger’ in the COVID-19 crisis.

The organisation today published a special edition of its annual Foodbank Hunger Report which revealed that, while government assistance measures such as JobSeeker and JobKeeper have provided much needed temporary relief, charities and food insecure Australians alike have an extreme sense of unease about the future as these measures are rolled back. More than one in three (35%) food insecure Australians receiving benefits don’t know how they will cope or expect they will not cope well at all.

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey, said this year’s report emphasises that COVID-19 is having a profound effect on the food security of Australians. “The report highlights that, while need for food relief has become somewhat erratic and unpredictable, charities are reporting that overall demand is up by 47% and many of those now experiencing food insecurity (28%) have never before needed support,” Casey explained.

People seeking assistance at least once a week have more than doubled since last year (from 15% to 31%). “Those who were already struggling before coronavirus hit have been impacted more quickly and seriously than others as they have lower resilience against life’s turbulence,” Casey commented.

“In addition, we are seeing new groups reach out for help, in particular casual workers and international students. These individuals tend to be younger, so it’s not surprising that our report shows it’s Australia’s youth who are bearing the brunt of COVID-19. They are going without food more often than any other age group with 65% of food insecure Gen Z (aged 18-25) going hungry at least once a week compared to 25% of food insecure Baby Boomers (56-74) and 25% of Builders (75+).”

Now in its eighth year, the Foodbank Hunger Report brings together research between April and August undertaken with both charities and individuals experiencing food insecurity.

Key Statistics

Charities are seeing overall demand up by an average of 47%.
The proportion of food insecure Australians seeking food relief at least once a week has more than doubled since last year, from 15% to 31%.
When it comes to COVID-19 causing hunger in the community, young Australians are being hit the hardest. 65% of food insecure 18 to 25-year-olds are going without food at least once a week due to the pandemic.
More than a quarter (28%) of those experiencing food insecure had never faced it before the pandemic.
Charities are seeing significant numbers of two new groups in particular: casual employees and international students.
43% of food insecure Australians are going a whole day a week without eating vs 30% in 2019.
61% of food secure Australians have accessed food relief since COVID-19 hit but the other 40% have not reached out for the help they need. The most common barriers to accessing relief are embarrassment (33%), shame (30%) or thinking there might be others in greater need (33%).
While government assistance, such as JobKeeper and JobSeeker, have provided vital temporary relief for many, 62% say they are not receiving the assistance they need.
- 37% say they need more than they’re getting,
- 21% are ineligible for any additional support and
- 4% have found it too difficult to apply
- Post-COVID-19, almost 35% of food secure Australians don’t know how they will cope or expect they won’t cope at all when the additional government support is withdrawn.

Leave no one behind

Vulnerable students and migrants from Nepal living in Australia have felt the full social and economic impacts of COVID-19. With fewer resources to support themselves during the crisis, many Nepalese students experienced the anguished fear of not knowing where their next meal was coming from, until Foodbank became part of their world.

Amit Thapa, Founder of the Friends of Nepal Association, reached out to Foodbank, and along with the Non Resident Nepali Association, more than 1,000 Nepalese students in Australia were assisted with food relief, including hundreds of Foodbank hampers. Funds provided by the Federal Department of Social Services enabled Foodbank to fill the hampers with quality key staples such as instant noodles, breakfast cereal, UHT soy milk, fruit cups, tea and coffee, tinned tuna and beans, and savoury and sweet biscuits. Hampers were topped with five kilograms of rice, ensuring it would feed a person for four weeks. Packaged with love and dignity, the hampers were distributed throughout the Nepali student community across Australia, providing much-needed relief at a time when they needed it most.

PepsiCo pledges $480,000 to Foodbank Australia as part of a global initiative

April 2020, PepsiCo Australia has donated AUD$480,000 to Foodbank Australia to help combat the devastating effects of COVID-19. Globally, PepsiCo has recognised the need for meals and vital resources during this time and has pledged AUD$72 million to help those most affected by the virus.

On average, nearly one in five Australians face food insecurity each year. Due to the COVID-19 crisis Foodbank Australia has experienced a 50 per cent increase in the number of people needing support over the past month.

PepsiCo is proud to be donating AUD$480,000 to Foodbank Australia, one of the country’s largest food relief organisations, to ensure it has adequate food resources to meet the upsurge in demand, while continuing to provide nutritious meals for those who need it most. The funding will help individuals and families now and in the coming months as we see the effects of Coronavirus.

“We’ve seen a sudden and significant increase in the need for our services due to the impacts of COVID-19. We’ve gone from 815,000 people per month in a ‘normal’ period to over 1.2m, a frightening statistic,” says, Brianna Casey, CEO at Foodbank Australia.

“Foodbank needs to scale up urgently to respond to the unprecedented increase in the number of food insecure Australians and help them for as long as they may need it. We are incredibly grateful to our long-standing partner, PepsiCo, for the generous donation that will help us meet this growing demand and enable us to provide almost one million nutritious meals to individuals and families in-need across the country.”

“Food is at the heart of what PepsiCo does, and we are great admirers of the amazing work Foodbank Australia and the New Zealand Salvation Army Foodbank do within their local communities,” says, PepsiCo ANZ, CEO, Danny Celoni.

“We also acknowledge the unprecedented demand drought, bushfires and now COVID-19 have placed on Australian food relief organisations this year. I am proud and grateful to be in a position where we can support them during this difficult time by helping our partners bring food to those who need it most.”

McCain chips in and reminds us ‘we’re in this together’

April 2020, McCain Foods announced today it will donate at least 250,000 meals to food relief organisations across Australia and New Zealand over the coming months to help support communities facing food security challenges during the COVID-19 crisis.

The contribution is part of McCain’s ongoing commitment to food relief organisations, its passion for giving back to the communities that have built the business for over 50 years, and the company’s core values. As unemployment rates across ANZ continue to increase to unprecedent highs, families are now reaching out for support – putting pressure on charities that deliver food to families in need.

The donation will be shared between charities across Australia and New Zealand including its long standing partner Foodbank Australia, but also Fareshare Victoria, Second Bite Australia, Empower Australia, 0800 Hungry and Oxford Community Trust.

McCain Foods Regional President, Louis Wolthers, said that the spike in retail demand for frozen food would be reflected in the charitable sector.

“People have been stocking up with frozen foods in preparation for lockdown, and food relief organisations are no different, in that they also need a stable supply of frozen vegetables and meals as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic escalate,” Mr.Wolthers said.

“Given the scale of the need, we’re very pleased to have the opportunity to support these reputable charities, which provide such important support to our local communities.

“Our donation includes frozen vegetables, meals, chips, pizza and some Sara Lee desserts – accounting for more than meals. This certainly makes sense for us, and it’s something our people are proud of. McCain is hoping this donation will help to remind Australians and New Zealanders of the importance of staying connected. We’re in this together, after all,” Mr. Wolthers said.

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey said the donation will be well received amongst the many Australians it is supporting currently.

“We are so grateful for this incredibly generous donation of frozen food from McCain, one of our long- standing national donors who have supported us regularly through thick and thin. Foodbank has seen a 50 percent increase in demand for food and grocery relief due to job loss and small business closures across the country and donations such as these are critical to help vulnerable Australians now and for as long as it takes for our country to recover from the effects of COVID-19.”

The donations form part of a global response from McCain to the COVID-19 pandemic this year.