Vienna Relief Organization Sounds the Alarm: Decline in Food Donations

Social organizations are heavily dependent on food and goods donations from retail and wholesale, food manufacturers, agricultural businesses, catering businesses, and bakeries to supply people at risk of poverty. Whether in social markets as affordable shopping goods or in the context of food distribution: It is important to quickly and accurately distribute the goods to people who need them most. Due to the wave of inflation and other factors, the number of people affected by poverty has increased many times over in recent years. Socially accurate means that the donated goods reach only those who are truly socially needy. In the case of SOMA social markets, these are people at risk of poverty whose income is below the poverty risk threshold - 60 percent of the median income.

Managing Director of the Vienna Relief Organization: "Poverty is Great"

"Poverty is great. We notice this very concretely in the shopping cards issued in the social markets of the Vienna Relief Organization: While the households supplied in our social markets have more than doubled to over 8,000 within two years, we are now recording a 10 percent decline in donated goods - from 914 tons last year," says Simon Blatzer, Managing Director of the Vienna Relief Organization, expressing concern about the development.

Lack of Supply in Fresh Fruits and Vegetables is Greatest

In addition to the overall declining donations, the type and selection of food donations are also relevant. The discrepancy between supply and demand is greatest for fresh fruits and vegetables, which are often expensive and difficult for low-income households to afford. This makes it harder for people at risk of poverty to access healthy nutrition.

Impact on Three Levels Whether affordable shopping goods in social markets or food distribution - donations to social organizations create a triple added value and benefit not only people at risk of poverty but also trade and the environment. "As social organizations, we not only keep food in circulation: We support needy and poverty-stricken people and ensure that goods reach where they are most urgently needed. Customers receive food and nutritional inequality is reduced, trade saves storage and disposal costs, and sustainable resource use is ensured," summarizes Simon Blatzer the advantages of food and goods donations.

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