Breadline Brief
A Good Food Cycle Needs All Its Cogs Turning – Including Food Clubs
A Good Start – But Is It Ambitious Enough?
The UK Government has recently launched Good Food Cycle which is an important step forward in recognising the systemic nature of food insecurity. The consultation process has been broad and inclusive, drawing voices from across sectors. But as promising as the direction may be, real questions remain about whether the pace and scale of ambition are enough to meet the needs of people on the ground — people like our members.
Our Members Speak – And Speak Loudly
At The Bread and Butter Thing (TBBT), we surveyed 4,000 members within 48 hours to understand how food affordability and access shape their lives. The resulting Breadline Brief reflects the daily realities of families working hard and still unable to put healthy food on the table. It echoes findings from our Slice of Life report: 92% of members would buy more fresh fruit and veg if it were affordable and available locally. This isn’t about poor choices it’s about impossible choices.
TBBT provides access to nutritious food where people live—often in schools, community centres, or churches. 93% of our members report saving money when they shop with us, helping them stretch limited incomes further. Crucially, these hubs do more than distribute food: they are trusted, welcoming spaces that offer social contact, reduce isolation, and connect people with wraparound support like debt advice, fuel vouchers, or digital skills.
Our work reduces reliance on food banks
In the past year, we’ve helped about 12,400 members to reduce or stop using food banks, not because they suddenly had more money, but because food clubs gave them a better, more consistent alternative. We accept Healthy Start cards and promote schemes like free school meals. But these benefits are often underused. Just 62% of eligible families were enrolled in Healthy Start as of April 2024. Even among working families, uptake of support like tax-free childcare remains shockingly low.
Our food model isn't about crisis; it's about prevention. And prevention saves lives and money. When people can access healthy, affordable food week after week, they can avoid slipping into crisis. They avoid skipping meals, taking out payday loans, or missing rent. They gain breathing space.
And yet, too often, food clubs remain an overlooked cog in the food system. The Good Food Cycle speaks of access and affordability. Food clubs are that access point. We’re in the community. We’re trusted. We make the difference between resilience and despair.
Food Clubs Are Prevention in Action
What’s Still Missing
The government’s outcome mapping and strategic documents are a solid start but the gap between aspiration and action remains too wide. Key community-level interventions like food clubs aren’t just “nice to have” – they’re essential infrastructure. But we still see barriers to participation in national schemes, underinvestment in mid-tier food support, and a lack of commitment to preventative models that sit between crisis support and full independence.
TBBT is ready to play our part. We’re delivering weekly food to 10,000 families and working with more than 145 hubs in areas of high deprivation. But we can’t do this alone. We need government policy that supports preventative models. We need long-term investment in community-powered food infrastructure. And we need recognition that affordability without stigma must be a core principle of food policy.
The Good Food Cycle is the right idea. Let’s make sure it turns fast enough — and includes all the parts that keep families afloat.