THE UK is the seventh richest country in the world, yet many people struggle to afford even the most essential of goods – food.
Food prices have risen by more than 25 per cent in the last five years.
The cost of meat, vegetables and fruit in particular has risen dramatically because of a drought in the US and last year's UK summer wash out; both uncontrollable weather events which have affected the supply and quality of crops.
Many lower-income families are suffering from some form of food poverty, according to a survey by the Trussell Trust, a charity working to combat poverty.
Its data revealed that 21 per cent of the parents questioned reported struggling to feed their children.
Families told how they had cut their consumption of fruit and vegetables by nearly one-third to just over half of the five-a-day portions recommended for a healthy diet. The survey also found one in five people (20 per cent) in Yorkshire and the Humber have skipped meals, gone without food themselves to feed their family or have relied on family or friends for food in the last year.
It means cheap convenience food has become staple diet items for lower-income families, leading to a less healthy lifestyle.
Food banks have reported a rise in people using their services.
The Trussell Trust said cuts and changes to the welfare system are the most common reason for up to half of people on benefits turning to food banks as a direct result of having payments delayed, reduced or withdrawn altogether.
The UK is now thought to have more than 500,000 people reliant on food parcels.
It makes for alarming reading, and it doesn't get much better.
Crime figures by the British Retail Consortium have shown an increase in crimes by people "stealing to eat" – with the overall cost of retail crime soaring by 15.6 per cent in a year to £1.6 billion.
Charities and the police say that as living costs rise and incomes shrink, stealing to eat is increasing and the shoplifter demographic is widening.
Officers say food shoplifters can be mothers struggling to feed their children, or hungry pensioners.
In many cases they have no criminal record.
Great Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell said: "It's disastrous that this could happen in a so-called prosperous country.
"Everyone is being squeezed by the cuts on benefits and people have to prioritise what's most important to them – rent, fuel or food?
"A lot of the time, other things take priority more than where the next meal is coming from.
"Benefits just aren't enough to survive on anymore, especially Job Seekers Allowance.
"Living standards have dropped and people turn to junk food, which is often cheaper.
"This then leads to generations raised on unhealthy eating habits.
"It's distressing to see people turning to food banks, especially in this day and age.
"Food poverty will be the testament this generation leaves behind."
Cleethorpes MP Martin Vickers said: "There's no evidence that it's worse here than anywhere else in a time of recession.
"People are more squeezed; we need to target benefits at those who are in the greatest need.
"Charities and churches do some excellent work in feeding those who can't feed them themselves.
"People shouldn't be afraid to ask for help, especially when times are tough."
Sarah Taylor is general manager of Care, in Grimsby, which joined up with the Grimsby Telegraph earlier this year to launch the Ten Tonnes Of Tins campaign.
Care is distributing donated food to people in need.
Sarah said: "Food poverty is getting worse; not just here but everywhere.
"The use of food banks has risen massively in the past year.
"We used to average about 50 food parcels a month – now it's something close to 150.
"The Ten Tonnes Of Tins initiative has been a great help.
"We are still seeing huge donations coming in, but we have seen an increase of families using our services to feed their children, so we need more."
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Anne Burgess, 75, of New Waltham:"I live alone, so I eat what I want when I want. I do live a cheaper lifestyle and use budget supermarkets more these days, but I have enough to survive on.
"I think everyone gets enough money to survive, it's up to them if they buy food or cigarettes.
"I do buy less luxury items and my shopping habits have really changed. I look at the prices much more these days when I buy things."
Shirley Hobday, 73, from Cleethorpes: "Prices certainly are going up; we've found items we used to buy have risen in price because we buy the same things we have always bought.
"Budget supermarkets offer the same quality of items that higher-priced supermarkets do, just at a lot cheaper prices.
"What with the bedroom tax, some people don't have enough to survive on these days. Lots of people are struggling to just eat.
"The government needs to do more to help."
Janet Barber, 50, from Grimsby's Willows estate:"Food prices are rising. I buy fewer luxury items like wine and cakes and I have to look if I really need it them or not.
"I shop around at budget supermarkets to find the best deals. The budget items are just as good as the branded ones.
"More should be done to help people on benefits – politicians should take a pay cut to help."
Diane East, 48, a lab assistant from Grimsby: "I've moved to the budget supermarkets as prices in the higher-priced supermarkets are going through the roof.
"I've cut back on luxury items and even our holidays are in Britain these days.
"Wages are not going up with food prices, so everyone is having to cut back on items they used to buy.
"My husband and I both work and we're feeling the pinch so it must be difficult for those on benefits."
