The number of people in Germany who supply themselves with food at tables is steadily increasing. The approximately 940 panels last recorded 1.65 million customers, this is ten percent more than last year, said the chairman of the Federal Association, Jochen Brühl, the "New Osnabrücker Zeitung". The demand from older people is particularly high. "The number of pensioners among table customers has risen by 20 percent to 430,000 within one year."
Brühl therefore demanded political support. "Up to now, our warehouses and refrigerated vehicles are exclusively donated and we are reaching capacity limits." To do even more, it would be necessary to increase it. "But nobody wants to give us the money, instead we are being fed off the shoulders of the politicians, which is not enough," he said. Among the panels there is also a dispute over this demand. The head of the Essen board, Jörg Sartor, sees this as endangering independence - and instead demands a volunteer package.
Heating for fear of the bill not employed
This conflict could get even worse. Because chairman of the association Brühl does not assume that the currently discussed reforms like the Grundrente will solve problems in principle. "Grundrente sounds as if it will abolish old-age poverty in Germany." That's nonsense, of course. " An effective fight against old-age poverty begins in the working life or even earlier. "There are also 500,000 children and adolescents among our customers, so their number exceeds the number of retirees who use our services."
The non-profit panels collect food donations from traders and manufacturers and regularly distribute them to more than 1.6 million people in need nationwide.
Association chairman Brühl lamented that society ousted the conditions under which many people lived. "I do not believe that people in this country are starving." But especially older people reported that they did not hire the heating during the winter out of concern that they would not be able to pay the heating bill in the spring.
In view of this situation, the Federal Association of Tables criticizes the concerns of farmers and parts of the policy for higher food prices critically. "Simply asking for higher food prices is too easy, which would drive up the number of customers with the tablets," said Brühl. "Even people who have little need to be able to eat healthily."
