In October, the inflation rate reached 11%, and every fifth Briton is at risk of poverty.
Meat is slowly becoming a luxury item in the United Kingdom. At least they protect it in stores as if it were. The number of shoplifting incidents has increased in recent weeks. In October, inflation reached 11 percent. One in five Britons is at risk of poverty.
advertisement“Bacon, sausages and all sorts of cheese, those are the main targets for thieves,” says a shopkeeper in Coventry. “Every day there is something. Last week we caught a thief carrying a full bag, but the police didn’t care.” Because of this, he has more cameras equipped and has joined a group where shopkeepers share pictures and details of the thieves among themselves.
A little further away, people line up for food donations. There are also those who work, but cannot live on their wages. Prices of milk, cheese and eggs have risen by more than 30 percent in the past year. People complain.
“The prices in supermarkets are exorbitant, I’m tired of them. People like us who have nothing can’t make ends meet. That’s why they go and steal.”
“I used to buy milk for £1, now it’s £1.80. It’s very difficult.”
“I spend all my money on food, nothing but bills and food.”
The same despair can be seen elsewhere. The free kitchen in Blackpool, England, provides dozens of people with hot meals every night. The landlord finds that work is no longer enough to make a living.
“People who work full time also come to us, but they still need extra food. But what is going on in this country that we can’t even take care of our own people?” asks Mark Butcher, owner of The Free Kitchen.
It is estimated that half a million children will need food aid in the coming months in the UK. For many Brits, this winter may be one of the toughest in decades.
