BBC: Warning of food price hike crisis
A crisis is unfolding in the UK as people in poverty struggle with rising food prices and the recession, the Save the Children charity has warned.
It comes as new figures from The Grocer magazine show food prices rose by more than 18% over the last year.
On Monday, the charity will launch a crisis grant scheme to help families.
The government says it believes food prices have peaked and it is tackling child poverty through increased child benefits and child tax credits.
'More unequal'
Colette Marshall, of Save the Children, said: "We are facing a crisis. Benefits simply haven't been enough and with rising food costs it means that families cannot afford to give children proper decent food.
"We think we are heading towards malnutrition here in the UK."
Pensioner on her struggle with food costs
She is calling on the government to meet its target of halving child poverty by 2010 by putting £3bn in the Budget.
