Over half of young Aussies were food insecure in 2024/25

Around one in three Australian households experienced food insecurity in the last financial year, according to Foodbank’s 2025 Hunger Report.

This equates to more than 3.5 million households around the country.

The non-profit also found 52% of young Australians experienced food insecurity in 2024/25.

Here’s what you need to know.

Foodbank

Foodbank is an Australian hunger relief organisation.

Its 2025 Hunger Report analysed food insecurity and hunger in Australia.

Foodbank uses a UN-developed definition of food insecurity, defined as when people “do not have regular access to sufficient, safe, culturally appropriate and nourishing food” needed for “a healthy life.”

It surveyed 4,260 Australians aged over 18 in June and July on their household food security experience over the past year.

Foodbank's survey included questions about whether a person and their family had enough to eat, or worried food would run out before they were next paid.

The survey was nationally representative, meaning its demographics reflect Australia’s population.

Results

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• 70% of those experiencing food insecurity said it was the first time this had happened to them
• Around a third of respondents were from households classified as moderately or severely food insecure
• Two-thirds of single-parent households and homes with people with a disability were food insecure

Cost of living

Of all respondents experiencing food insecurity, 90% told Foodbank the cost of living was their leading concern.

Overall, one in five said they were “living comfortably” on their current income. More than a third were “finding it difficult”.

More than half of all households were cutting back on eating meals out, while food insecure households were also spending less on groceries.

A fifth of households earning more than $91,000 annually had experienced moderate to severe food insecurity.

Food relief

Over 50% of respondents experiencing food insecurity said they knew where to get help if they needed it, but 45% said embarrassment prevented them from accessing it.

More than a third of these households didn’t get food support because they thought other people needed it more.

Severely food insecure households were the most likely to have significant barriers to accessing help, such as not being able to physically get food home without a car or with limited public transport.