What is the cost of a healthy food basket in Northern Ireland in 2022?

This research updates the cost of a Minimum Essential Food Basket, for four household types, in Northern Ireland to 2022. Two previous research projects, in 1/1/201416, worked with members of the public in multiple ‘deliberative focus groups’ across Northern Ireland, to agree what should be included in a minimum essential, but nutritionally adequate and socially acceptable, food basket. This research uses Consensual Budget Standards methodology to establish the cost of the food element of a Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) for four household types. Separate groups of members of the public met for each household type, in three locations across Northern Ireland, and through iterative in-depth discussions, reached a consensus on what the food baskets should include. This report presents the cost of the minimum essential food basket for the four household types, adjusted to reflect food costs in 2022, building on the data published thus far for 2014, 2016, 1/1/201820. This demonstrates the average weekly cost of healthy food, and the level of household income that may need to be spent on attaining this minimum standard.