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'New poor' in Italy line up for free food

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-24 13:56

Statistics show Italy is growing older and poorer while the economy underperforms its European peers.

Inflation is above the euro zone average, with shoppers still pinched by price hikes which producers say are unavoidable due to higher recent commodity and fuel prices. Pasta cost almost 25 percent more in September than a year ago and the price has not come back down, while bread was up 8.6 percent.

People wait in line to receive a free breakfast outside the Mother Margarita Catholic humanitarian center in San Salvador, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008. The UN World Food Program published a report on Thursday that the number of poor people in four Central American countries has risen by almost one million people in 18 months due to the rise in world food prices.

Last month, consumer groups staged a "bread strike", trying to persuade Italians not to buy bread for a day in protest.

The government has so far said it will stand as guarantor of last resort for bank deposits up to 103,000 euros, but has not taken specific steps to ease the strain on those on low incomes. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said on Monday Italy would "not take advantage" of market turmoil to dilute its long-term debt-reduction goals.

Francesco Marsico of Caritas said costly food and fuel put people at risk of sinking below the poverty line: "It doesn't take much for income not to be sufficient anymore. These families have trouble reaching the end of the month."

Banco Alimentare ("Food Bank"), which redistributes food to charities feeding the poor, says the number of Italians seeking help had been rising in the last two years but jumped lately.

"The river has been rising and rising, and this year it burst its banks," said Marco Lucchini, director-general of Banco Alimentare.

Saving Money

At Pane Quotidiano, which gives out the equivalent of 2,500 calories of food each to some 2,000 people a day, groups of all ages wait in line as volunteers distribute bread, packs of tiramisu, risotto, peaches and milk.

"In the last year, we've had an increase of over 30 percent in the number of visitors a day," said Ercole Polline, a counsellor there. "About a year and a half ago, there were about 80 Italians who came every day, now there are about 350."

Maria Piacere, aged 62, is retired and lives on about 800 euros a month. She has been coming for food for a year.

"I have gas and electricity to pay, rent and fuel for the car," she said. "That leaves only a little for the rest."

Among the crowd, a neatly dressed 28-year-old student waited for her turn to collect some food.

"I do not come here voluntarily but I have no choice," she said, also declining to be named. "I never imagined I would have to come here but I manage to save some money, say a few euros."

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