Food prices have rocketed in the last year and people are struggling to afford essentials. Where can you turn when you can’t keep up with the cost of eating?
Cost of living increases just seem to be accepted with a shrug these days, but the reality is that the continuous rise in food and fuel prices is driving people into debt, pushing people into food poverty and contributing to huge increases in shoplifting.
This weekend, two news articles from Wales have highlighted the UK cost of living crisis (because that’s what it is for many, many people; a crisis, not an inconvenience) and, in particular, the rising price of food.
On Friday, Nation Cymru published the first in a series of articles by Splott Councillor, Ed Stubbs, on the issues facing people on the poverty line. Titled “Money might not buy you happiness but poverty brings misery and suffering”, the article talks about falling living standards due to insidious hikes in prices and the real pressure that it is putting on households.
Following that came Wales Online’s article comparing the cost of a trolley of shopping this November to last November.
Inventively titled “I compared the cost of my supermarket shop to 12 months ago – these six items shocked me”, the article highlights the steep leap in the price of food in even a budget supermarket like Lidl.
One of the starker increases highlighted is the whopping £1.80 rise in the price of beef mince in just one year: “A 500g packet of mince was £3.49 in November 2024 and is now selling for £5.29 – a sharp jump that’s difficult to overlook”, quotes the journalist.
There were other notable rises listed in the article; a four pinter of milk had gone up by 20p and cheese by 30p. The number of items in the trolley for the same value had decreased significantly.
Meat and fish prices are notably higher this year, but vegans and vegetarians are also facing increases at the tills. According to The Food Foundation, The British Retail Consortium has forecast an average food price rise of 4.2% in the latter half of 2025, with the cost of healthy food rising more quickly than unhealthy food
Another scary insight from The Food Foundation:
In 2024, healthier foods cost £8.80 per 1,000 kcal on average compared to £4.30 for less healthy foods. Furthermore, over the past two years, the price of healthier foods has risen at twice the rate of less healthy foods; the cost of healthier foods has risen sharply by 21% between 2022 and 2024, compared to an 11% increase for less healthy foods.
To read the report, click here.
I’ve been thinking for a while now that prices are out of control, but I genuinely nearly fell down when I saw the price of coffee in the Co-Op last week (£7.50 for 200g and that was the ‘on offer’ price! It’s usually £9!). Who on earth can spend £7.50 on a jar of coffee?
Supermarket profits are up, up, up (Tesco is forecasting a profit of between £2.9bn and £3.1bn for 2025/26) while the quantity of food in people’s baskets is down, down, down.
This got me thinking about what’s being done locally to help people out, especially around food poverty, and if there was a way to bring down the weekly food shop bill.
As it happens, there are a number of initiatives in Splott, Tremorfa and Adamsdown helping people to access low-cost or free food.
Let’s start with Splott…
Splott Community Volunteers (SCV)
Hot breakfast and food pantry. Each week, award-winning charity SCV serves up a piping hot breakfast, hot drinks and a bag of shopping including fridge, freezer, tinned, dried and fresh items for a donation of just £4.
Breakfast club runs from 8.30am to 10.30am every Thursday at Splott Community Volunteers at the back of the old STAR Centre, Splott Road (entry through the gates opposite A1 Tyres on Railway Street). Not the STAR Hub in Splott Park!
Read more about the SCV Breakfast Club here.
The charity also hosts a number of social activities with free food and runs a pet food bank and a period dignity stand to help combat cost if living increases. To find out more, and for the opening hours, head to the website.
Willows High School
Food Pantry. Situated in the Learning Lounge at the local English language High School, the Willows Food Pantry is stocked full of dried and tinned staples and is available to all parents of pupils at Willows High School, Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm.
You can find Willows High Learning Lounge next to the main entrance of the school, through the main gates at the bottom of Willows Avenue, Tremorfa.
If you have any questions they can contact Karen Hunt, Family Community Engagement Officer, by email or phone (details below):
Email: Karen.Hunt@willows.cardiff.sch.uk
Tel: 02922 943803
Splo-Down Food Cooperative
High quality low cost vegetables. This incredible community project offers veggie boxes from just £2.25 (there are three price points and you can choose what you can afford).
The veg boxes contain two parts:
- The Weekly Veg ( diverse seasonal veg e.g. squashes, courgettes, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, aubergine, garlic/ginger)
- Staples Veg (Potatoes, Carrots, Onions minimum)
You can choose the full Splo-down combination bag, or just one part.
The quality of the vegetables is excellent and because of their model of better prices when buying in bulk, their pricing system gives great value for money, even if you opt for the highest cost package.
Visit their website to find out how you can order a veg box or visit on a Wednesday from 5pm to 7pm at their market stall site on Marion Street, Splott (google maps link here!), where you’ll also find a variety of food and household items, as well as opportunities to connect with your fellow community members.
St Saviours
Food Bank. The food bank located at St Saviour’s Church in Splott operates through a voucher referral system, not walk-ins. To get food, you must first get a voucher from a local support agency, which you then exchange at the food bank for emergency supplies. In addition to the organisations listed above, Splott Community Volunteers can issue food bank vouchers (please note vouchers are limited to three every six months).
The food bank at St Saviours operates on a Wednesday afternoon between 1pm and 3pm and on a Thursday evening between 6.30pm and 8pm.
Find St Saviours here: St Saviour’s Church, Splott Road, Splott, Cardiff, CF24 2BW
Railway Gardens
Free lunch once a month. Friendly Fridays take place every month at Railway Gardens in Splott and they’re an opportunity for people to make new friends and connections, enjoy a meal together, and something optional – pick up some new skills and confidence in the kitchen!
These events are 100% free and open to all – children are very welcome.
Cooking takes place from roughly 11am – 12:15pm, then sit down to enjoy a meal together until around 2pm. If you can’t make the cookery part of the session then you’re welcome to just attend for lunch (please take a tupperware container in case of any leftovers).
Find Railway Gardens at the top of Adeline Street. Click here for more information on Friendly Fridays.
And now to Tremorfa…
Tremorfa Pantry
Food pantry. From 10am to 12noon on a Wednesday morning at Tremorfa Community Hall, Tweedsmuir Road, Tremorfa, Cardiff CF24 2QZ, Tremorfa Pantry provides food and toiletries.
Follow Tremorfa Pantry on Facebook here.
St. Phillip’s Church
Free Food Market. On Sundays from 3:30pm to 4:00pm, a free food market is held in the church, followed by a religious service.
Find St. Phillip’s Church on Tweedsmuir Rd, Tremorfa, Cardiff. CF24 2QZ.
Tel: 029 2061 9211
And finally, Adamsdown…
Al-Ikhlas Centre
Food Pantry. Located at the Al-Ikhlas Centre, 92 Broadway, Adamsdown, it is open on Tuesdays from 10am to 12 pm and provides emergency food to those in crisis. Vouchers are given based on criteria checks. Asylum Seekers welcome.
Find out more here.
So there we have it. Where you can find low cost and free food in Splott, Tremorfa and Adamsdown. If you want the chance to grow your own food, join the waiting list for an allotment plot at the Pengam Green allotments! Find out more here.
If you know of any other food initiatives in this area, please let me know by emailing hello@inksplott.co.uk