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More Americans report shoplifting as inflation climbs, survey finds (www.cbsnews.com)
submitted 2 weeks ago by to c/aboringdystopia@lemmy.world
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[–] 8 points 2 weeks ago* (2 children)

It sounds like you have a very particular experience and relationship to the subject, HerbGrower? At a glance, the data seems to suggest something different. E.g., according to Uk food foundation prices for groceries in the UK have been rising (albeit more slowly recently), and many people in the UK experience food insecurity.

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  • [–] -2 points 2 weeks ago (1 child)

    "Food pricing" is usually an average. Meat has gone up a lot but veg remains very cheap. While I am not fully vegan I also don't see why anyone needs to eat meat.

    If I was under the poverty line again I could go back to feeding myself for under £25/month and it would still be a fairly healthy diet. Housing costs so much more, even renting just a bedroom is like £500+ per month now.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 weeks ago*

    I know this isn't the Pain Olympics, but when I was looking for a place to live, I toured a single bedroom with access to a half-bath (just a toilet and sink, no shower) in somebody's house that was going for $1200 US, or just shy of £900. The saddest thing is, that's one of the most affordable options around me.

    This is a reality in the US. Add in, our meat and dairy is subsidized by the government, but fruit and vegetables don't get the same treatment. Subsidized vegetables here are mainly ones that can be processed for uses that don't include direct consumption, like subsidized corn used to make animal feed, corn syrup, or ethanol. The best case scenario for cheap vegetables usually comes from farm stands, which we have to seek out (and usually drive out of our way to get to), and which only operate during the growing season.

    Put this together with housing prices and the destruction of food assistance programs, and it's no wonder why so many people in the US are turning to shoplifting to get their needs met.

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