The cost-of-living crisis is still hitting Community members hard. In a recent survey of over 3,500 members across all sectors and regions of the UK, we found 93% have had to cut back on food purchases due to the staggering increase in food prices.
Even more concerningly, for almost half of our members that has meant cutting back on essential food for their families or even skipping meals. Our members and working people deserve better than this.
The prices of a weekly food shop has risen at the fastest rate in more than 45 years in the 12 months to March 2023 at an annual inflation rate of a whopping 19.2%. Food inflation dipped slightly to 15.4% in May, but that’s still the second-highest rate on record.
With prices unlikely to decline this year and the pace of increases only slowing down, our members need action from the government to tackle food inflation and provide more help to working people during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis to ease the financial burden. Working people should not be paying the price of 13 years of Conservative governments and failed Trussonomics experiments.
At Community, we will continue to work with employers to ensure our members get a fair pay rise to avoid a real terms pay cut, and campaign to secure better pay and conditions across all our sectors.
Notes
Community members were surveyed in April 2023 with the question ‘how is the rising cost of food impacting you?’
Responses were:
No Impact – I’ve continued to buy the same food: 249
Some Impact – I’m cutting back on luxuries to save money: 1633
Significant Impact – I’ve cut back on essentials: 1275
Major Impact – I’m skipping meals: 407
If you need financial support please explore Community’s Hardship Fund
© Community Trade Union 2023