Security tags have been placed on pieces of meat, just like luxury products or bottles of alcohol. It’s a sight few thought they would ever see in Britain. But then these aren’t normal times.
Food thefts in the UK have soared in recent weeks, fuelled by runaway inflation which is believed to have pushed one in five Britons to the gates of poverty. One convenience store owner in Coventry believes police inaction is partly to blame.
"Bacon, sausages, and all the cheeses, that’ the sensitive section, that`s what they (thieves) target,” businessman Paul Cheema said.
“Every day there is an incident, last week we caught a thief with a full suitcase. Even with a suitcase, the police don`t care."
Not far away from Paul’s shop, a group of people line up at a food aid store. The prices of staple products, such as milk, cheese, and eggs have risen more than 30 percent in the past year.
It is estimated that half a million children will need food aid in the coming months in the UK. Inflation is still at double digits, hitting a new 41-year high of 11.1 percent in October.
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