How does your household food spend compare?

The average spend on everyday items has been broken down in a report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). The report covers a huge range of expenditure, including food, transport and education - totalling an average of £481.50 a week.

Transport and housing come out as the biggest expenses, but we’ve delved into the food and drink figures to show you not just what we’re buying as a nation, but also how much we’re spending on it all. This data comes from Family spending in the UK: April 2020 to March 2021Opens in a new window  review and includes food and drink consumed in the home, but excludes food and drink outside the home, domestic cleaning items, toiletries and medication.

Obviously, we’re spending more on some products than others. We’re a country that loves carbs. Bread and biscuits, combined with pasta and rice, add up to £10.40 a month in total.

We spend more on sausages and other types of processed meat than anything else, while some items are costing us less because they’re generally quite cheap – eggs, tea and coffee for example.

Spending varies around the country. People in Northern Ireland have a weekly basket worth £65.10, while those in the North East of England spend just £57.10.

This doesn’t necessarily mean food costs more or less in different areas. Higher disposable income in the South East will account for some of the increased spend in this region.

Source: ONS Family spending in the UK: April 2019 to March 2021

The figures also show the variations in spend across the country on specific items. Despite being one of the biggest spenders on food each week, Londoners proportionally spend less on fizzy drinks than the other regions. You can find out more about how much people spend and what they buyOpens in a new window on the ONS website.

Source: ONS Family spending in the UK: April 2019 to March 2021