It is encouraging to see that my Christmas Swede cost me £0.15 at Lidl. In fact, a huge amount of produce – swedes, carrots, and Brussels – are currently going for £0.15. I applaud this – and hope they will sell out tomorrow. I hope that none of these veggies will be wasted.
A recent article in the Guardian pointed out that increasing numbers of British people are turning to the black market for food, to supplement their diets as prices rocket. Meat, cheese, and confectionery are among the items being stolen in large quantities from shops and lorries to be sold to people hit by the cost of living crisis.
Wendy Chamberlain, a former police officer turned Lib Dem MP who chairs the all-party parliamentary group for the elimination of food banks, said it was “not surprising” that people were obtaining food through criminal means. She said important nutritional foods had “essentially rocketed in price” and that food poverty could be particularly acute this time of year, with food banks providing only essentials that were generally “not particularly attractive or nutritional”.
You can read the report here: https://lnkd.in/eBZJjzD7
Another report in the Guardian showed that there has been a surge in the number of people in UK hospitals suffering from nutrient deficiencies, according to NHS figures.
Read the article here. https://lnkd.in/e99Nb2qi
These articles, taken together show the absolutely dramatic state of the UK. The nation of wealth, billionaires, and insane property prices.
So, this Christmas, please remember everyone who is being pursued by the law, for stealing food for their families. Please remember everyone who is malnourished in one of the wealthiest nations. Until we stand up to the absolute madness, it will only get madder. May the next government of the UK make a solemn promise to end food poverty. They want to save the NHS. We could start by ensuring that everyone has access to healthy foods, that is, to fruits, and vegetables.
#foodbanks #foodpoverty #lidl
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2moWhile I broadly agree with what you've said in the article, I'm frustrated by the lack of recommendations or guidance offered. What are you proposing exactly? What does the "right to good food for all" mean at a policy level? Are we just talking about solving the terrible wealth inequality in the UK, or something more revolutionary like a National Food Service, socialising agriculture, rationing, or something else?