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Survey: 1 in 5 Americans Skip Meals, Avoid Buying Groceries Because of Inflation
A recent survey found that nearly one-fifth of Americans have skipped meals or stopped buying groceries owing to rising inflation, including 28% of Gen Z and 23% of millennials.
Among the respondents, 17%, including 22% of millennials, said they received food from a food bank, while 17% said they stopped purchasing healthier food options. Meanwhile, 18% admitted to skipping meals or going without groceries.
In addition to food insecurity, the same survey discovered that high inflation is forcing Americans to postpone certain healthcare expenses. Fourteen percent of Americans have canceled or postponed appointments with healthcare specialists, ten percent have put off taking prescribed medication, and eleven percent have put off getting a yearly physical.
“As the price of health care and basic necessities continue to reach record highs, Americans have been forced to make tough decisions that sacrifice their health and wellbeing,” Kristi Rodriguez, senior vice president of the Nationwide Retirement Institute, which commissioned the survey, stated.
“While these decisions are understandable and challenging, making short-term tradeoffs may have long-term impacts,” Rodriguez added.
The survey results highlight how Americans are struggling to make ends meet in the current economy under President Joe Biden, as food and consumer goods prices have risen in tandem with rising interest rates.
Grocery prices have risen 13% year on year, rising 0.7% from August to September. Egg prices have increased by 30% since last year, while dairy products have increased by 15.9%t, bread has increased by 14.7%, and butter has increased by 26.6%.
Prices have risen 8.2% overall since last year, with a 0.4% increase between August and September. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy prices, is up 6.6% year on year, the highest level in 40 years.
Harris Poll conducted the survey online on behalf of Nationwide, surveying 1,140 U.S. adults between August 26 and September 8, 2022.
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