Energy: Potatoes are getting too expensive in the UK


DOr for centuries, the potato quintessentially, has been the staple food of the poor. Easy to cultivate, cheap to buy, and nutritious, they were a staple – if not just one – of the entire population. So much so that in the 19th century, the presence of mildew in Ireland—a disease that almost completely wiped out potato cultivation—caused famine … and nearly a million people died.

However, these days, potato seems to be losing its edge among the needy population. Indeed, according to The Guardian, more and more people using food banks are refusing potatoes, not being able to afford the energy expenditure required for the latter’s lengthy cooking.

read also“Europe is not meant to feed the world”

Record inflation in 30 years

“This is incredibly worrying,” the manager of a low-cost supermarket chain told the BBC. “We hear of some food bank users who refuse products such as potatoes and other root vegetables because they cannot afford to boil them,” he explains, adding that the “cost of life crisis” is the highest in the UK. big domestic problem”.

Across the channel, the cost of living is rising rapidly, The Guardian reports. Inflation hit 6.2 per cent in February, the first time in thirty years, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. This is driven by rising costs of gasoline and diesel and a wide range of products from food to toys and games. In 2021, food-specific inflation in the UK stood at 5.1%.


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