Many people throughout Wales cut back on the amount of food they purchased during the coldest winter months in order to foot their heating bills, a report has found.

Entitled Coping With Cold, the study by the Bevan Foundation discovered that for older women in particular, heating took more of a priority than home cooking.

It referred to findings from Age Concern, which showed that some people turned to buying discounted food that was close to its use by date in order to feed themselves.

Report author James Radcliffe commented: "The combination of rising energy prices and the return of colder winters means more people are affected by fuel poverty."

Research from Mintel recently found that people are going to be spending less on eating out in restaurants over the coming year as their disposable income is in decline.

It revealed that spending habits have changed for 60 per cent of people.