Croix Rouge warns of poverty crisis

The Croix-Rouge, France’s Red Cross says it cannot meet is commitments to providing free meals with rising food prices and growing deprivation.

The organisation said it would have to reduce the number of meals it gives to France’s poorest people by three million while figures suggest, due to growing levels of destitution, it should produce three million more.

Last year the group, which starts its annual donations drive on May 17, gave out 30 million meals to vulnerable people. It said those hit hardest by food price rises were the young, elderly and poor workers.

A spokesman for the Croix Rouge said the organisation realised that many people in France were under financial strain but asked that people should give what they can.

It said the impact of the rising prices on the organisation was around €7million.