Should the Government launch a food-rationing scheme?
The retail industry has insisted there is enough food for everyone and ministers have said rationing is unnecessary, but customers have been faced with empty shelves and have struggled to get everything on their shopping lists.
In a letter to Boris Johnson, dated March 20, experts including Prof Lang, a professor of food policy at City, University of London, called on the Government to “initiate a health-based food-rationing scheme to see the country through this crisis”.
The letter says: “This should start from Public Health England’s Eatwell Plate, our official nutrition guidelines, and draw on expertise from the devolved administrations, and relevant disciplines.”
The professor’s letter calls on the Government to: “Announce immediately that this new Food Rationing Scheme will be open, equitable and based on health needs, taking account of age, income, and vulnerability, and that this will be applied UK-wide.”
The experts are also calling on the Government to “rapidly review options for ensuring people on low incomes have sufficient money to buy a decent diet”, and suggested a national voucher scheme redeemable for nutritionally sound purchases such as fruit and vegetables.
Meanwhile, Allergy UK said it is very aware of the impact of “bulk buying” on people who need “free-from” products.
The charity said: “We have highlighted this issue through all our communication channels and are working together with other partners to bring this to the attention of government departments and agencies on the basis of the needs of people living with food allergy and its potential status as an ‘underlying condition’.
“We are also contacting all the major supermarkets directly to bring this to their attention and ask what action can be taken.”
What are your views? Are you able to get all the food you need? Do you use an online supermarket for your food delivery? Or are you going to the shops? What is your experience to date? Is it improving or getting worse?
