Friday, March 8, 2013

5 million Britons live in food poverty, study shows

A study shows that almost five million Britons are living in food poverty.
A study shows that almost five million Britons are living in food poverty.

Nearly five million people across Britain are struggling to afford nutritious meals, a study suggests.

According to The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) report commissioned by the multinational food manufacturer the Kellogg company, 4.7 million people out of Britain's 60 million population spend at least 10 percent of their income on food.

The study says job losses, benefit cuts and rising food prices have led to a food crisis in the UK, in which families are now spending 20 percent more on food than five years ago but at the same time eating seven percent less.

“The research findings are shocking, though perhaps not surprising, and are deeply concerning as they highlight the reduced level of nutrition as well as the reduction of food consumption overall,” said Chris Mould, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, Britain’s largest organizer of food banks.

In October last year, the charity said its food bank network had fed nearly 110,000 adults and children between April and September 2012.

It also predicted that the number of people relying on emergency food rations will increase to over 200,000 in the whole of 2012-13.

SSM/HE

No comments:

Post a Comment