Now we spend 4 times more on eating out than cigarettes and alcohol
FAMILIES are becoming more health conscious, with spending on alcohol and tobacco falling by more than 40 per cent since the beginning of the century.
But they are spending more on eating out, with the weekly bill for restaurants rising for the first time in five years to £45, according to official figures.
The Family Spending Survey, released by the Office for National Statistics, showed that households spent an average of £11.40 a week on alcohol and cigarettes in 2015/2016, down from £19.50 in 2001/2002.
The ONS said that the falling number of smokers was likely to have caused the decrease. One in six adults smoke today, compared with one in four at the beginning of the century.
In 2015/16 consumers spent on average £4 a week on wine, compared to £2.80 on cigarettes. In total, the £11.40 spent on alcohol and tobacco represented a sharp decrease from the £12.10 spent in 2014/2015.
This is despite average family spending being the same in 2015/2016 as the previous year – £528.90 a week.
The data showed increases in spending in other areas, notably on eating out. In 2015/2016, UK households spent on average more than £45 a week on restaurants and hotels for the first time in five years, according to the survey.
Going to restaurants and cafes cost families around £17.30 a week, with takeaways costing an additional £4.70. The detailed figures showed an average weekly spend of 10p on ice cream, 30p on confectionery and 80p on soft drinks.
However, these spending figures varied depending on a family’s income. The richest 10 per cent of families spent £107.10 a week on restaurants and hotels – more than double the £44.50 that the poorest 10 per cent of families spent on housing, fuel and power.
Cultural activities also seemed to be the preserve of the wealthiest. The poorest families spent 30p a week on cinema, theatre and museum trips, compared with £5.30 a week for the richest.
Reacting to the figures, Dr Wanda Wyporska, executive director of The Equality Trust, said: ‘There’s a gargantuan gap in spending between the richest and poorest households because there is such huge inequality in our society.
‘We often hear the poor criticised for being wasteful. That’s a hard argument to make when the richest are spending more on their pets than the poorest are on clothing their families.
‘ Many people are working, budgeting and making difficult choices about which necessities to go without. We know millions more are in danger of falling into debt and poverty.’
The ONS also found that the average London renter paid £167.10 a week for their home in 2015/2016, more than triple the amount of other areas in the UK.
In Northern Ireland families paid around £44.60 a week for rent, and in the North-East they paid £46.30. The average rent across the UK was £92 a week.