Healthy nutrition is unaffordable for many: Germany in a food emergency!

Healthy nutrition is unaffordable for many: Germany in a food emergency!

In recent years, healthy eating has become increasingly unaffordable for many people. The pressure on food prices is not only affecting households in the USA, but also in Germany. According to a report by Amica Around 90% of US citizens say that healthy eating has become more expensive. Almost 70% of those surveyed can no longer eat healthily due to high prices, which particularly affects households with a small budget.

The middle class also struggles to cover the cost of healthy food, while more than a million people in the U.S. die annually from diet-related diseases such as diabetes and heart attacks. Despite these alarming figures, 60% of respondents rate their diet as “fairly healthy,” but experts question the accuracy of this self-assessment. A central problem is the lack of knowledge about nutrients, which often leads to unconscious wrong decisions when it comes to nutrition.

Facts about price increases and their causes

The conditions in Germany reflect the situation in the USA. Food prices are also rising here, and many consumers rely on price comparisons and cheaper alternatives. According to the Consumer advice center NRW There has been an increase in the general price level for food by around 30 percent since 2021. All food groups are affected, including staple foods.

The price increases are due to several factors. Higher costs for energy and fertilizers as well as a labor shortage and minimum wage-related increases in personnel costs play a role. In addition, climate change is leading to more frequent crop failures, which further exacerbates the situation.

Changes in consumer behavior

Sales of ready meals and snacks are increasing in both countries. These products often contain unhealthy ingredients such as sugar, fat and salt. In the USA, 70% of food is considered highly processed. In Germany there is also a trend towards replacing home-cooked meals with cheap ready-made products.

The consumer advice centers are also observing hidden price increases due to smaller filling quantities and changed recipes. Negative effects of poor nutrition can become apparent after just three days, especially in older people. It is noted that the lack of nutrition education begins at school and many children do not learn to cook for themselves.

In summary, price, access and knowledge are crucial to what people eat, both in the US and Germany. In order to promote healthy eating, consumer advice centers are calling for political and antitrust reviews to counteract possible exploitation of the situation by retailers and food manufacturers.