Britain’s diet problem is often framed as a matter of personal choice. People are told to eat more fruit and vegetables, choose more whole foods and cut back on foods high in fat, salt and sugar.
But choice only matters if people can afford and access it. For many households, healthy eating is dictated by where they live and what they can afford.
Our research shows affordability is one of the biggest barriers to eating more healthily and sustainably for nearly half of consumers (45%). However, no single part of the food sector can solve this alone, and current system-wide friction often makes affordable, balanced choices harder than they need to be.
By 25 July 2026, our analysis revealed that Britain had already overshot the annual balance of foods recommended by the Eat-Lancet Planetary Health Diet – a framework designed by scientists to feed the global population healthily within planetary boundaries. Rather than giving up certain foods, it’s about achieving more balance by eating more of what our diets currently lack.
This is a matter of balance, not ‘this or that’ dietary choices. The scale of the gap is stark. Currently, the UK consumes just 40% of the fruit and vegetables, 18% of the plant-based protein and 15% of the wholegrains required for that ideal balance. Meanwhile, consumption of animal-based proteins, alongside foods high in added fats and sugars, exceeds recommended levels by roughly 60%.
That gap is the real story. For millions, shifting this balance requires better physical access to stores. Neighbourhoods without local, affordable options leave residents underserved. By working collaboratively, spanning national policy, regional planning and retail investment, we can expand store footprints into these areas and make balanced choices convenient for everyone. Improving access not only supports healthier diets, but also drives economic growth across local communities.
Changing the food system for the better
Retailers hold the most direct lever to influence this gap, but most aren’t using it. Realigning the nation’s diet with the Eat-Lancet targets requires co-ordinated action across the entire ecosystem.
Government and local authorities can create supportive conditions for regional development and streamline process frameworks to encourage investment in underserved communities. At the same time, farmers and producers need long-term support to build resilient businesses, expand crops like wholegrains and adopt regenerative agricultural practices.
Crucially, retailers must use their operational scale and store environments to guide sustainable choices. At Lidl GB, we’re trying to show what this looks like in practice: leveraging our low-cost model to keep nutritious options within reach, using targeted promotions on fresh produce and our ‘Live Well’ markers to help customers identify healthier and more sustainable own-label products, and setting clear targets to increase our sales of plant-based proteins and wholegrains.
The fact that Britain is running so far behind these dietary targets should be a collective wake-up call. Healthy and sustainable foods should not be a privilege reserved for specific postcodes or budgets – it should be the default option for everyone. With aligned effort from government, local authorities, suppliers and retailers, a healthier, more sustainable food system is well within our reach.
Richard Bourns is chief commercial officer at Lidl GB
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