Nearly one in five adults have cut back on eating fruit and vegetables in the past year because of rising prices, new research revealed last night.Ministers were last night urged to do more to educate households about nutrition as it emerged that 16 per cent were buying less, including almost 25 per cent of lower-income families.
Mintel said that just 24 per cent of the nation were now eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, the Department of Health target.
The market research specialist added that even sales of Heinz baked beans - which count towards the five-a-day target - had fallen in the past year. Mintel said that under 35s were the least likely age group to buy the famous tinned beans as students increasingly switch to alternatives such as pasta and noodles.
Prices of fruit and vegetables have surged by as much as 10 per cent in the past year, for everything from apples to potatoes, following poor harvests in 2012.
The findings will raise yet more fears about the nation's health, given growing obesity levels. Mintel said 38 per cent of adults admit they "struggle" to eat their five-a-day of fruit and vegetables. And only 40 per cent see fresh fruit as good value for money.