SPÖ-Seltenheim: “Food poverty in Austria is a scandal – VAT on basic foodstuffs must be abolished!” – 2024-05-03 18:39:39

Over a million people affected by food poverty – SPÖ reiterates its call for free, healthy lunches in kindergartens and schools

Vienna (OTS/SK) – According to a current study presented at a symposium by Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, around 1.1 million people in Austria are affected by food poverty. SPÖ Federal Managing Director Klaus Seltenheim emphasized today, Thursday: “The dramatic figures on food poverty once again demonstrate the total failure of the black-green federal government in the fight against inflation. It is a scandal in a rich country like Austria when hundreds of thousands of people have to involuntarily skip meals or are afraid that their children will not have enough to eat.” For the SPÖ federal manager it is clear: “The fight against food poverty in Austria must be declared . Instead, the government is simply letting inflation slide through, with all the negative consequences for Austrians.” The SPÖ has been calling for effective price controls and the abolition of VAT on basic foods as well as free, healthy and warm lunches in kindergartens and schools for months, “but The federal government is not prepared to implement any of this.” ****

“Good nutrition is an important building block for a healthy and satisfied life. Children cannot be hungry at school. Every child has the right to a warm and healthy lunch,” said Seltenheim, who emphasized that the health and social consequences of child poverty cost the Republic 17 billion euros every year. “The fact that ÖVP Chancellor Nehammer mocks children affected by poverty and recommends that parents buy cheap fast food shows the social coldness of the federal government,” said Seltenheim.

For the SPÖ, poverty is unacceptable: “We will fight poverty in Austria with heart and brain. With basic child security we are eliminating child poverty. With a job guarantee, we give long-term unemployed people opportunities and prospects. And with effective measures to combat inflation, we can reduce prices,” says Seltenheim, who emphasizes that only the SPÖ with Andi Babler as Chancellor can make Austria better and fairer. (End) ls/bj

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