We have all heard about the ever-increasing and widespread use of foodbank across the UK. Take, for instance, the Trussell Trust. It has seen a staggering increase in the number of food parcels distributed over the last five years. They provided more than 2.1 million emergency food parcels between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022. Of these, 832,000 were for children. This represents an 81% increase compared to the same period five years ago.  The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of more than 1,300 food bank centres. But now shoppers, those not using foodbanks are struggling too.

Iceland boss, Richard Walker, claimed customers feeling the pinch of inflation are telling Iceland checkout staff to stop when they hit £40 before putting the rest of their shop back on the shelves.

The cost of living crisis has seen the prices of everyday essentials soar, with the price of a loaf of bread increasing from 89p to £1.10 and milk prices increasing “quite dramatically”.

The news comes as Rishi Sunak announced his cost of living support package.

Walker commended the package saying Sunak had ‘stepped up’ and ‘pulled all the right levers’ despite one North East foodbank saying that the Chancellor’s support package was ‘not enough’.

“Everyone’s feeling the pinch but certainly the harder-pressed communities are feeling it more,” Iceland’s managing director Richard Walker said to Sky News

“Generally, I think it is safe to say everyone is feeling the pinch now, it doesn’t matter who you are.

“We do serve some of the poorer demographics around the country. We are hearing stories of some of our customs disappearing to food banks.

“The reality is there is no typical Iceland shopper, averages don’t work very well because we have people who come in and spend five quid and people who come in and spend £50.”

The news comes after Asda chairman, Lord Stuart Rose, said the government’s £15 billion cost of living handout is not enough to help struggling familiar and is only a ‘drop in the ocean’ compared with the pressures consumers are facing.

Rose claimed Asda was spending £90 million attempting to keep prices low for its shoppers.