LONDON — One in seven people in the United Kingdom (UK) faced hunger last year because they did not have enough money, according to a report published on Wednesday by food bank charity the Trussell Trust.

It said this equates to 11.3 million people, more than double the population of Scotland, and blamed a dysfunctional social security system, as well as a cost of living crisis that is showing little sign of easing.

Britain is the world’s sixth-biggest economy but its citizens have been pressured for more than a year by high inflation which has outstripped pay growth for almost all workers.

Government forecasters estimate UK households are in the midst of the biggest two-year squeeze in living standards since comparable records started in the 1950s.

The Trussell Trust’s network of 1,300 food bank centers across the UK provided a record 3 million food parcels in the year to March, up 37% and more than double the amount provided five years ago.

“This consistent upward trajectory exposes that it is weaknesses in the social security system that are driving food bank need, rather than just the pandemic or cost of living crisis,” it said.

The charity said that 7% of the UK population was supported by charitable food support, including food banks, yet 71% of people facing hunger had not yet accessed any form of charitable food support.

It also noted that one in five people forced to turn to food banks in its network are in a working household and called on the UK government to ensure the benefits system covers essential costs.

“We know people are struggling, which is why we’re providing record financial support worth an average 3,300 pounds ($4,206) per household,” said a spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions in response to the report.

The government has also raised benefits and the state pension in line with inflation, increased the minimum wage and supported families with food, energy and other essential costs, said the spokesperson.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s key economic pledge to halve overall inflation in 2023 before a probable 2024 election has been undermined by persistently high food inflation, outpacing the broader inflation rate across the whole economy and adding strain to household budgets already stretched by higher taxes and mortgage rates.

Food and drink inflation was running at 18.3% in May according to the most recent official data, and 14.6% in June according to the most recent industry data.

On Tuesday, British supermarket executives rejected allegations they were profiteering at the expense of consumers through the cost of living crisis.

Soaring food prices have contributed to the biggest squeeze on living standards in Britain since records began in the 1950s, and prompted questions about who is responsible. Trade unions and politicians have accused the supermarkets of “greedflation,” saying they’ve been too slow in passing on lower producer prices to consumers. — Reuters

COPENHAGEN — The European Commission wants all planned regulations requiring fashion companies to produce clothes in a more sustainable way to be in place by 2028, the European Union (EU) environment commissioner said on Tuesday.

The Commission is looking to tackle textile consumption in Europe, which has the fourth highest impact on the environment and climate change after food, housing and transport.

Europe’s biggest fast fashion firms Inditex and H&M show no signs of slowing down production, but are looking to use less water and energy and more recycled textiles.

“The fashion industry has kind of escaped regulation, but we see that they are a big pressure for natural resources and with regard to pollution. We have to react,” Virginijus Sinkevičius said in an interview at the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen.

The Commission is drafting at least 16 pieces of legislation that will make fashion companies take responsibility for the environmental impact of the clothes they produce.

‘CHALLENGE’ FOR FAST FASHION
Mr. Sinkevičius said the measures, which will be in place in the next 5 years, will be a “challenge” for fast fashion brands.

The Commission will require fashion companies to either collect an amount of textile waste that is equivalent to a certain percentage of their production, or pay a fee towards local authorities’ waste collection work.

The amount will gradually increase every few years.

The Commission is still working on an initial percentage that fashion companies will have to collect.

“It definitely will be higher than 5%” of production, Mr. Sinkevičius said.

The European Union’s goal is that, by 2030, fashion companies will produce more durable pieces that can be reused and more easily recycled.

Around 5.8 million tonnes of textile products are discarded every year in the EU, equivalent to 11 kg (24 lb) per person. A truckload of textile products is land-filled or incinerated somewhere in the world every second, according to EU figures.

The Commission is also working on regulations that would restrict brands’ use of sustainable claims to advertise clothing. It estimates that half of these claims, or “eco-labels” are misleading.

The eco-label regulation on textiles will come into force at the beginning of next year, the commissioner said.

EU governments agreed last month that the bloc should also ban the destruction of unsold textiles as part of the EU’s green strategy to encourage more reuse and recycling.

Mr. Sinkevičius said the ban rule would take “six months or even more” to be implemented. — Reuters