We’re backing breakfast to support four million­ children at risk of food insecurity

As part of our ongoing partnership with charity Magic Breakfast, Arla is once again backing breakfast as startling figures reveal that four million children in the UK are living in homes struggling with food insecurity. As a result, millions of children are regularly arriving at school hungry, having not eaten breakfast.

To help address this, we’re taking action. We asked the politicians with the power to experience what millions of children have to go through every day. Guests from across the political spectrum were invited to a Breakfast Briefing with a twist. Half the MPs were told to eat breakfast and the rest told not to – replicating the experience of millions of children across the UK. They were then challenged with performing a series of cognitive tasks, helping them get a glimpse into the physical, social, and emotional impact that missing out on breakfast can have, as Arla and Magic Breakfast look to address this widespread issue that is only getting worse as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.

The results of the challenges, designed by behavioural science expert, Dr Simon Moore, revealed that those deprived of breakfast were up to 80% per cent more likely to fail the tasks, such as the buzz wire challenge, spot the difference, anagrams and brain teasers.

After feeling the effects of going hungry, 100 per cent / all of those attending the ‘No Breakfast, Breakfast Meeting’ agreed to put their weight behind a new commitment to Back Breakfast.

Rachel Campbell, spokesperson for Arla said, “No child should ever have to start the day hungry and with the number of children facing morning hunger only set to increase with the ongoing rise in living costs, it is essential urgent action is taken. That’s why we’ve joined forces with those in power to raise awareness of the issue and to back the provision of free breakfast for children who need it the most, so every child can start each day with the essential nutrients needed to grow and fuel learning.”

Through the partnership with Magic Breakfast, Arla has donated enough Cravendale milk to fill the equivalent of over 10 million bowls of cereal to schools across the country.

(*)The Food Foundation