Britain 2025: sixth-richest nation—yet millions go hungry while waistlines explode

7.2m can’t afford dinner and junk food giants cash in—shameful proof that political cowardice, not empty shelves, is feeding a nation that’s both starving and obese

Britain, 2025. The world’s sixth-richest economy. And yet, millions can’t afford dinner. At the same time, we’re one of the fattest nations in Europe. Hunger and obesity, side by side. It’s not just ironic. It’s obscene.

The numbers shame us. 7.2 million adults—14% of households—can’t put food on the table. Food banks have gone from charity to public service. Parents skip meals so their kids can eat. Single mums choose between heating and eating.

Prices tell the story. In August, food inflation hit 4.2%. Basics like butter and eggs shot up fastest. The rich tighten belts for fashion. The poor tighten belts because they’re starving.

And here’s the kicker: the government’s own Eatwell Guide says a healthy diet costs £9 a day per adult. But the average Brit spends just £6.80 according to Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at Oxford University. For poor families, following official advice would swallow half their income. Add kids, and it jumps to 70%. That’s not a diet. That’s daylight robbery.

So what happens? People turn to the only food they can afford: cheap, ultra-processed calories. Burgers, crisps, fizzy drinks. Filling, addictive, deadly. No wonder 64% of adults in England are overweight or obese. Hunger makes people fat. Poverty makes people sick. And the junk food giants are cashing in.

The young are hit hardest. Food insecurity among youth has doubled in just one year. Hungry kids don’t just lose weight—they lose futures. Poor nutrition wrecks concentration, causes anxiety, stunts growth. Teachers see it every day. Politicians? They just see soundbites.

Globally, we usually talk about hunger in Africa. And yes, the crisis there is catastrophic: 61% of Africans face food insecurity, and more than one billion can’t afford a healthy diet. But here’s the difference: Africa suffers because of war, drought, climate chaos. Britain suffers because of political cowardice. The very fact we’re even comparing ourselves to Africa should set off alarm bells in Westminster.

The bottom line: this is man-made misery. Families go hungry not because the shelves are empty, but because the system is rigged. Until healthy food is affordable for everyone, Britain will stay trapped in this sick cycle—hungry yet obese, poor yet profitable for the corporations.

Hunger in Britain isn’t an accident. It’s a choice. And it’s the politicians who made it.