Food poverty in the UK remained a critical issue in 2025. According to The Food Foundation, more than one in ten people across the country experienced food insecurity, rising to one in ten for households with children. For many, the cost-of-living crisis continued to present a significant barrier to accessing healthy, affordable food.

In 2025, Action Against Hunger partnered with two community pantries in London (in the boroughs of Lewisham and Greenwich), which supported 137 people throughout the year. Community pantries are grassroots projects where food insecure households can access a variety of foods such as fresh produce and other pantry essentials for a small fee.

During the year we supported the community pantries with essential food and critical assistance to sustain their operations, at a time when funding cuts placed significant strain on local organisations and the communities they serve. We also delivered a series of corporate volunteering sessions with several partners, raising awareness of food insecurity in the local area, and helping to quality check and prepare surplus fresh produce for distribution in the community.