Impoverished Hongkongers are skipping meals to save cash. How can authorities help them?
Food banks and charities offering provisions, cooked meals say demand has risen as more struggle to cope
Hong Kong homemaker Fion Chan skips meals when she has to tighten her purse strings to make ends meet.
She said her husband’s unstable income of about HK$20,000 (US$2,570) a month was barely enough for their family of five, with almost a quarter going toward rent for their public flat in Kwai Chung.
“We have to be very careful with money,” the 46-year-old said.
To cut her food bill, she chose only cheaper frozen meat and vegetables sold at bargain prices near closing time at the wet market. She learnt to stretch 300g of pork over three meals by serving it minced.
Despite her best efforts, there was sometimes not enough for Chan, her husband and their daughters aged 20, 18 and 10 who are all students.
“I worry about the impact of the lack of nutrition on my daughters’ growth. I would rather not eat myself to make sure they have enough,” she said.
The family is among poor Hongkongers struggling to cope with expenses for basic necessities such as food.
