North America

The results from the United States and Canada suggest that rising energy prices have had more of an impact on people's lives than rising food prices in North America. Well below average numbers in both countries (43% in the United States and 27% in Canada) say that the rising cost of food has affected them "a great deal ". The great majority say they have not reduced their food intake. In contrast, 58 per cent in the United States and 42 per cent in Canada say that rising energy costs have affected them a great deal – much closer to the average of all countries polled. Canadians, however, are relatively satisfied by international standards with their government's efforts to keep food prices affordable (40% satisfied).

South and Central America

In contrast to North America, the cost of food seems to be having a major impact on the lives of South and Central Americans, with about four in five in all countries polled in the region (Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama) saying they have been affected "a great deal" by the rise in food prices. Mexicans are also among the most likely to say that their lives are being affected "a great deal" by rising energy prices (81%). In contrast, though, while most Brazilians say they are not eating less (68%), only 34 per cent of Panamanians say they have not had to cut back. Across the region, a little over two-thirds are dissatisfied with their government's attempts to control food price rises.

Europe

Compared with other developed nations in North America, more Europeans claim that food price rises are affecting their lives, with two-thirds or more of the public in all European countries saying that they have been affected at least "a fair amount". In two countries (France 53% and Italy 50%) at least half say they have been affected "a great deal". Slightly more Europeans polled generally say they have been affected by energy price rises than by food price rises. In both cases, Britons are the least likely to say they have been affected among the European countries polled. Despite this sense that their lives are being affected by the rise in food prices, below average proportions in most European countries say they have either changed their diet or cut back on what they eat. Except in Spain (32% satisfied) and Germany (27%), the level of satisfaction with government efforts to keep food affordable is below average.

Middle East

There is considerable variation across the Middle Eastern countries polled in public response to these issues. Egyptians, on the one hand, seem to have been severely affected by these developments – the vast majority say the food price (94%) and energy price (93%) rises are affecting them a great deal, two-thirds have changed their diet, and 88 per cent are critical of what their government is doing to manage food prices. While the Lebanese are nearly as downbeat, the picture is much less stark in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Turkey, indeed, is the country where one of the smallest proportions of all in the survey – just ten per cent – say they are eating less because of rising food prices. Despite this, 82 per cent of Turks are critical of their government's efforts to keep food affordable. Emiratis, in contrast, seem relatively supportive of their government's efforts in this area – almost as many are satisfied (45%) as are dissatisfied (47%) – a much more rosy assessment than in most countries.

Africa

What stands out most in the results from the African countries surveyed – Kenya and Nigeria – is that they are among the countries where people are most likely to be cutting back on what they eat because of the rising cost of food. Sixty-one per cent of Kenyans and 58 per cent of Nigerians say they have done so. Not surprisingly in this context, very high proportions (82% in Kenya and 83% in Nigeria) say that the price rises are affecting them "a great deal". But despite this, more are satisfied with their government’s efforts to address the issue than in several European countries (27% in Kenya and 24% in Nigeria).

Asia and Oceania

This region contains a number of countries (the Philippines (93%), India (80%), and Indonesia (78%)) where very large majorities say that the rise in the cost of the food is affecting them "a great deal". At the other end of the scale, though, in developed nations such as Australia (35%) and South Korea (34%), far fewer think that food price rises have affected them "a great deal". In India, furthermore, the contrast with the perceived impact of energy price rises is stark – just 36 per cent feel that this has negatively affected them "a great deal". China is the outlier here in many respects, and is the only country where most people disagree that the rise in the cost of energy has had a negative impact on their lives. In this context, it is perhaps not surprising that they are also the only country where a majority (66%) are satisfied with what their government is doing to keep food prices affordable.

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