ACCORDING TO A recent PwC report, more than 70% of people in Ireland are either ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ concerned about the price of groceries. With good reason.

The cost of staples – butter, milk, beef, cheese, bread – have all skyrocketed. Even the prices of the big chains’ own-brand items – traditionally the cheaper option – have shot up.

According to a new report from Barnardos today, four in 10 parents are skipping meals or eating less to feed their children. One parent told Barnardos that this constant struggle has led to them feeling inadequate because they can’t provide for their family. They spoke of living in a state of constant anxiety having to live from week to week.

These increases have been relentless. Grocery prices have risen at three times the rate of general inflation in the past year alone. In fact, many families are now spending €3,000 more a year to put food on the table than they were in 2021. That’s the price of a family holiday, money that’s needed to pay rent or the soon-to-be increased cost of college fees for students.

These enormous price increases are taking a huge toll. Of the more than 103,000 calls to St Vincent de Paul this year, almost half were requests for help with food. This is unprecedented and hugely concerning.

We are not talking about families who are spending huge sums on luxury goods. We are talking about parents who work hard all week – going without meals so they can afford to feed their children. We are talking about pensioners, who have to........

© TheJournal