Mainstream media is now issuing warnings about holiday food bank parcels getting smaller as the supply chain remains broken amidst the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A combination of declining food bank storage and an expected explosion in demand for charity support could result in food shortages for the holiday season.
According to reports, food banks are getting scarce as demand soars and donations dwindle. Simply put, nations are running out of food because they are becoming more and more expensive to import.
In the United States, the entire food system has been shot down, and the only way to come out unscathed is to make sure to prepare before things get worse.
Declining food bank stocks and demand for charity support lead to emergency preparedness
Some people are preparing emergency measures to extend their food supplies due to the declining food bank stocks and the expected explosion in demand for charity support.
In the U.K., several food banks have reported that they are spending money to replenish storerooms that have been depleted by the fall of deliveries of surplus food from supermarkets, as well as by the decrease in food donations from the public.
A survey of 68 U.K. food banks in mid-September showed that two-thirds have reported food shortages, with more than 80 percent anticipating to be running low on food stocks in the near future.
"We are running out of some types of food because we can’t afford to buy them and they are not being donated anymore," a southeast London food bank says.
Food banks are also anticipating a rise in the number of people who come to them for assistance over the coming months as a result of the end of universal credit, as well as the end of furlough and a rise in energy bills. (Related: Only in America: Farmers destroy produce, while food prices soar and thousands rely on food banks for their next meal.)
FanShare, a food charity that normally handles about 150 tons of surplus food from supermarkets every day to distribute to charities and food banks, says that they are down by a third of their usual supply due to the lack of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers. The charity sees no signs of things changing, and it has already made an emergency call for volunteer drivers who can take on the additional load.
HGV driver shortages have been blamed on EU workers leaving the U.K. following Brexit. Pandemic and tax changes also make it more difficult for drivers from elsewhere in Europe to become employed in the U.K.
Loaves and Fishes food bank in East Kilbride is also gearing up for an estimated 50 percent rise in demand for food charity by Christmas. Public donations have already shrunk in recent months as people have less for themselves.
While generous cash gifts have helped ease the strain locally, supermarkets do not always get food in the quantities they need. The food bank has also stopped buying tuna and tinned meat. It is also considering reducing the number of pot noodles, milk and coffee for food parcels.
"We always try to give a very generous parcel, with a nod to good nutrition, but we are going to have to reduce the size of food parcels," says Lesley Davidson, manager of Loaves and Fishes.
Jane Calcutt, manager of the Kettering food bank, says that instead of getting donations, they had to buy food for their food bank. "A year ago our storeroom was full of pasta and baked beans. Now, I have to buy baked beans," she says.
In the U.S., people are getting far less for their money due to inflation. There have also been problems with hiring workers as many are already poised to lose their jobs following the vaccine mandates around the country.
At this rate, it is important to complete last-minute preparations before winter hits. As problems continue to arise, the weather can also affect supply chain distributions. It is important to remain prepared and alert through the food shortage situation, whether in the U.K. or the United States.
Read more about food and supply shortages at Collapse.news.
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