A REPORT from food giant Kellogg’s has revealed Clacton is among the hardest hit areas where poorer people struggle to afford fresh food.

A map of “food deserts” where low incomes combine with a lack of affordable food outlets was produced and highlighted Clacton, Basildon and Harlow as the hardest hit in the region.

People living in these food deserts are likely to pay a higher cost for their weekly food shopping, having to go to more expensive small convenience stores with a limited stock of good value fresh products.

And 41 per cent of these households don’t have a car, making it even harder to get to a wide range of good value food stores.

Megan Blake, a campaigner for food justice, said: “Everyday food insecurity is on the rise in neighbourhoods across the United Kingdom.

“For those living in a food desert this can mean having to dedicate a portion of an already stretched budget toward transportation costs in order to secure food. “It can mean having to carry their food shopping a long distance, a struggle that many older people living in food deserts experience.”

The research goes on to suggest that online food delivery may not be the solution for people living in food deserts.

One third of people on low incomes said they would never use online shopping.

A Kellogg’s spokesperson said: “These findings are especially worrying when a lack of fresh food can have a significant impact on people’s health and it seems to be the most vulnerable people who are impacted.

“This is a complex problem that will require organisations including local authorities and charities to work together to come up with solutions for local communities.

"There isn’t a one size fits all solution.”