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Appeal to supermarket giants

The Scottish Pensioners’ Forum, the campaigning organisation for older people in Scotland, have today called on supermarket giants across the UK to pledge support for older people facing food poverty due to escalating price rises as a direct consequence of the cost-of-living crisis.

Research has shown that almost 2.7 million pensioners across the UK are reliant on the state pension as their only means of income yet, with a meagre pension increase and the threat of the one-year suspension of the triple lock element of the state pension being made permanent, this hardship is only set to get worse.

Supermarket chain Asda recently rolled out an initiative to help older people using their cafes during November and December and the Scottish Pensioners’ Forum hope that other large chains can follow suit.

Rose Jackson, Chairperson:

‘During our recent outreach work, we were shocked to discover just how many older people were going hungry because they couldn’t afford to put food on the table as well as heat their homes this winter – this is an absolute disgrace!

‘Many older people have been left isolated and vulnerable over the past 2 years, cut off from family and friends, yet now they are facing even more worry and uncertainty, how is this just and fair?

‘What often flies under the radar is that since 2016 the UK state pension has operated on an old and new system, with older state pensioners being hit the most, often to the tune of over £2000 per year in comparison to their younger counterparts. This disparity will only continue to grow.

‘We are already in talks with Ofgem in relation to the energy crisis so now we have turned our attention to targeting the big supermarket chains to ask what they can do, as a gesture of goodwill, to help some of the most vulnerable people in society.

‘We fully understand that the responsibility of older people’s welfare benefits and state pension lies solely with the UK Government, however, to coin a phrase from one of those we have contacted, every little helps!’

November 2022