food banks had more than a third of new beneficiaries in 2022

It’s a sign of “worsening purchasing power problems”. More than a third of the people received in the Food Banks network’s partner food aid structures are new beneficiaries, who have been there for less than six months, according to a study published on Monday 27 February (PDF). Nearly 60% of beneficiaries call for food aid once or twice a week, an increase of 6% compared to 2020, adds the study carried out in the fall by the CSA Institute for Food Banks.

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Food has become the second largest item of expenditure for people received, still behind accommodation, but now ahead of water and energy bills. “Populations with increasingly different profiles now have recourse to food aid”, also observes the study. Over 80% of beneficiaries are unemployed (unemployed, retired, long-term sick or stay-at-home parent). Among the 17% who have a job, 60% are on permanent contracts and 66% work part-time.

Three times more beneficiaries in ten years

A total of 2.4 million people were benefiting from food aid at the end of 2022, i.e. three times more people than ten years ago. “Since 2008, the various economic and health crises have resulted in this ‘slow tide’ of recourse to food aid which has never receded”explains the study.

Food banks collect nearly 132,000 tonnes of food products each year from mass retailers, the food industry, farmers and the general public. These products are then distributed to associations, solidarity grocery stores and community centers for social action.

In another study, the Rural Families Association recently pointed out thatthe nine million most precarious French people lacked 65 euros per month for them to be able to eat properly, in particular by eating five fruits and vegetables a day.