Buyers can cope with rising food prices and cope with the cost of living crisis by choosing affordable brands in the supermarket, the environment minister suggested.
George Justis, the cabinet minister who oversees food and agriculture, told Sky News that food prices are rising due to the impact of higher energy costs, which increase the cost of fertilizers and feed.
He said: “Generally speaking, what people find is to focus on some of the value brands, not on their own brand products – they can actually maintain and manage their home budget. This will undoubtedly put pressure on household budgets and, of course, in addition to these high gas prices. “
He claims that there is “a very, very competitive retail market with 10 large supermarkets and four major supermarkets competing very aggressively, especially for some of the lower-priced everyday goods for households, so things like spaghetti and environment – there is a lot of competition to keep these prices down. “
“When it gets harder, it’s about things like chicken and poultry and some fresh produce, where these increased feed costs end up in the system because these people work with thin margins and have to go through that price,” he added. Justice.
He also suggested that Elsie, a 77-year-old woman who said she took buses to keep warm, go to the local council for help. Boris Johnson had previously been criticized for bragging about bringing free bus tickets when confronted with the story of her struggles to heat her home.
Justis told Sky News: “What would be my advice to Elsa (sic)? Well, my advice would be, you know, not to stay on the bus all day trying to keep warm. My advice would be to seek some support from the local authorities. “
Pat McFadden, the shadow finance minister, criticized Justice’s comments as “horribly excluded from the government without a solution to the cost of living crisis facing working people.”
“People are seeing their wages falling, fuel and food costs rising, and families worried about how to make ends meet,” he said. “It’s time for the government to get real help from the people, not comments that simply reveal how little they know about the real struggles people are facing to pay their bills.
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Wendy Chamberlain, a Liberal Democrat spokesman for labor and pensions, said: “These comments show that George Justis and the Conservatives live in a parallel universe. Families and retirees who can’t afford their weekly shop need more help than the patronage of an ignorant minister.
“This is the harsh reality of Britain’s Boris Johnson. Oil and gas giants make billions while families are told to buy food worthwhile, and retirees travel around by bus to keep warm. “
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