Why Food Costs Say So Much About Global Inequality

A staggering reality haunts our global food system: three billion people worldwide cannot afford a healthy diet that meets basic nutritional needs. This isn’t just a matter of grocery prices—it’s a mirror reflecting global economic inequality.

A recent chart from Our World in Data reveals a striking pattern: while people in wealthier countries tend to spend more in dollar terms on food, they spend a much smaller share of their total budget on it. In contrast, individuals in lower-income countries spend far less in absolute dollars, but food takes up a far larger share of their overall expenditures.

Let's explore this in detail..

Spending More but Feeling It Less

Let’s compare two countries: Switzerland and Kenya.

• In 2022, the average person in Switzerland spent $4,100 per year on food consumed at home.

• The average Kenyan spent $900.

That’s more than a fourfold difference in spending.

But here’s the key point:

• Food made up just 9% of Swiss consumer spending.

• In Kenya, it accounted for 58%.

This means Swiss consumers, despite spending more, felt it less.

Why This Gap Matters

This isn’t just an economic curiosity. It shows that food is more affordable relative to income in wealthier nations. This doesn’t mean groceries are cheaper in places like Switzerland. In fact, prices can be quite high.

But higher incomes, combined with better access to education, healthcare, and public services, reduce the relative burden of food.

In contrast, in many low- and middle-income countries:

1. People spend a major portion of their income just to eat.

2. That leaves little for other essentials like housing, education, or healthcare.

3. And even less for saving, investing, or building a better future.

This kind of economic pressure leaves millions vulnerable—not just to hunger, but to poverty traps.

A Deeper Inequality

It’s worth noting that the data only includes food consumed at home. In wealthier countries, people often also spend money eating out, which would increase their actual food spending—and yet it still remains a smaller share of their total expenses.

This underlines a deeper truth:

People in richer countries don’t just have more to spend—they have more freedom in how they spend it.

What Needs to Change?

Understanding this imbalance is crucial for making meaningful progress. It points to the need for:

1. Better wages in low-income countries

2. Improved access to affordable, nutritious food

3. International policies that promote fair trade and agricultural investment

4. Nutrition-focused aid, not just calorie relief

If billions must choose between a healthy meal and other basic needs, we aren’t just facing a food crisis—we’re facing a systemic failure of economic justice.

In Conclusion

We often measure progress by GDP or productivity. But perhaps one of the most human indicators of inequality is this:

How much do people need to sacrifice, just to feed themselves?

Until that number is fairer, our global economy still has a long way to go.