Household hunger in South Africa reaches 15-year high — TimesLIVE

In South Africa, 12% of households reported hunger in 2025, the highest figure since 2010. The country’s overall food security score fell from 56.5 in 2024 to 52.6 in 2025, according to the South African Food Security Index 2026, TimesLIVE reports.

The index was commissioned by the retail group Shoprite Group and prepared by a research team that included economists from Stellenbosch University. The share of households reporting hunger rose from 11.9% in 2024 to 12% in 2025. At the same time, 14.7% of the country’s population experienced hunger.

Costs outside the food basket

The index’s authors link the decline in the score to food inflation outpacing overall inflation, which worsened the food availability component. Access to food and dietary diversity remained relatively stable.

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In June, food inflation slowed to 1%, but the report stresses that lower prices do not guarantee that families can buy sufficient nutritious food. By March, housing and utilities accounted for 39% of the contribution to overall inflation, while food accounted for 19%.

Vulnerable rural families

According to the index’s findings, rural households headed by women are the most vulnerable. The share of such families living below the food poverty line increased from 38.4% in 2023 to 41.7% in 2025.

Regionally, Limpopo had relatively better results in 2025. In the Northern Cape and North West provinces, index values were lower amid growing hunger and reduced dietary diversity. Data on purchases at Shoprite supermarkets also showed that consumers more often choose smaller packages and cheaper goods, often at the expense of dietary diversity.