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Britons are cutting back on meat and treats – and even skipping meals entirely – as they try to cut down on food costs.

More than a quarter (28 per cent) of UK adults said they had either stopped eating meat altogether or significantly reduced the amount they buy in a bid to save money.

The survey of more than 3,000 UK adults also found that nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) said they were buying fewer treats and snacks, while almost one in five (19 per cent) admitted skipping meals or eating less because they could no longer afford as much food.

Most people said rising costs had forced them to change the way they eat. Women were notably more likely than men to say they had missed meals, with one in five saying they had done so compared with 12 per cent of men.

The findings, commissioned by cashback shopping app tuck., suggest the strain is being felt most acutely by lower-income households and women.

One in four say they feel mentally drained by financial concerns either every day or several times a week, while almost one in five (18 per cent) said they worry about money every day. Only 7 per cent said finances do not cause them any anxiety.

One in three (33 per cent) people with a household income below £20,000 said they worry about money every day, compared with 12 per cent of those earning more than £50,000 a year.

Women were also more likely than men to report feeling mentally exhausted by financial pressures, with 39 per cent saying they experienced this every day or several times a week, compared with 35 per cent of men.

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The weekly grocery shop emerged as the biggest source of financial anxiety. Households reported spending an average of £94 a week on food – around £24 more than a year ago – with 61 per cent saying lower grocery prices would make the biggest difference to their finances.

Neel Thakrar, chief executive of tuck., said the findings showed financial pressures were affecting people’s wellbeing as well as their budgets.

“Financial pressure doesn’t just affect people’s bank balances; it has a real impact on their wellbeing too,” he said. “Families are having to spend around 34 per cent more on the same weekly food shop than a year ago, forcing many to make difficult choices, including cutting back on treats, buying less meat and even skipping meals.”

The survey was conducted among more than 3,000 UK consumers on behalf of tuck., a cashback shopping app.