A shopping trolley of healthy food is costing rural and regional Victorians more than their city cousins, according to new research, raising concerns a nutritious diet may be out of reach for some families
A study led by Monash University spanning 2012-2014 found the price of fruit and vegetables across the state rose 12 per cent on average, while non-core foods like sugar, margarine and oil actually fell 3 per cent.
Researcher Claire Palermo said the study, which looked at foods people "should be eating", found the further the store was from Melbourne, the higher the cost of healthy food.
"The cost of food is one of the major factors influencing the choice of food, so if a healthy diet is less affordable it's something people are less likely to buy," she said.
"Another key finding was the fluctuation in price of fruit and vegetables compared to other food groups in the basket.
"When a food group is one week expensive and the next week not as expensive, people's consumption of those foods may vary, and they're obviously the two food groups we're wanting people to have more of."
Fresh food subsidies for lower-income families an option
Dr Palermo said while it was hard to pinpoint the exact reason for the difference, things like transport costs and lack of competition within smaller towns could drive prices higher.
But she noted there was not a huge distance between rural Victorian towns from the city compared to other states.
She said keeping the cost of fruit and vegetables down, and avoiding things like the GST, was crucial to encouraging families to eat a healthy diet.
Targeted public health strategies, including subsidies, discounts or incentives for lower income households, were needed to make them more affordable, Dr Palermo said.
"It roughly costs about $450 a fortnight for a family of four, two adults and two kids, to buy a healthy basket of food a fortnight across an average Victorian store," she said.
