Photos of free school meal packages in the UK arouse online outrage

Photos of food parcels being sent to school children in the UK who are currently studying at a distance have caused outrage online, with many calling the parcels ‘shameful’, ‘cruel’ and ‘shameful’.

The packages were sent to students who are eligible for free school meals when they go to school in person. Currently, the UK is in its third national exclusion, with the majority of children at a distance (with the exception of children of key workers still attending school).

Marcus Rashford, the Manchester United footballer and child food poverty player, strongly criticized the quality and quantity of the parcels supplied by a government contractor called Chartwells, a food service company. Many on Twitter have also expressed concern.

One of the photos, tweeted by @RoadsideMum, shows a package allegedly intended to include ten days of food. The image shows a loaf of sliced ​​bread, a can of baked beans, single cheese slices, three apples, two carrots, one tomato, a packet of pasta, three yoghurt bags and two mini-packets of malt bread.

The food parcels are supposed to contain the value of £ 30 ($ 40) worth of food to be distributed over the ten days. Parents recently received a voucher of £ 30 to cover food during the winter holidays, but during the term food parcels are rather handed out.

But as @RoadsideMum noted, the package in the photo contains about £ 5 ($ 6) worth of food, which maps the cost as if it had been purchased from supermarket chain Asda. This estimate was supported by Jack Monroe, the author of Tins and activist known for the campaign on poverty, who answer agree “this is about a fortieth food there.”

Mashable picked up a similar estimate for the same items from another chain, Sainsburys, for comparison, and the total amount was just under £ 11 – and that was using full prices per kilogram of fruit and vegetables, not individual items .

Further images it was circulate online emphasizes the lack of food provided in the packages.

Rashford, who spent most of 2020 campaigning for food poverty experienced by underprivileged children during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, criticized the food parcels and was in touch with Chartwells to get to the end of the matter.

Chartwells responded to the image tweeted by @RoadsideMum, claiming that the image “does not reflect the specification” of their obstacles. Mashable has reached out to Chartwells for comment but has yet to receive a response.

The UK Department of Education also responded by saying it was investigating the issue, adding that it had guidelines and standards for food parcels. “Packets should be nutritious and contain a variety of foods,” they added.

Rashford tweeted a thread of updates on the situation after a conversation with Chartwells. He said there was a call between Chartwells and the Department of Education that would take place somewhere on Tuesday.

Rashford also expressed concern about the number of meals being handed out to children, which is currently only one meal a day from Monday to Friday.

Rashford tweeted that it was clear there was very little communication with the suppliers that a national exclusion would come.

“We MUST do better,” he added. “Children should not starve because we do not communicate or are transparent with plans. This is unacceptable.”

Rashford concluded by saying he had to quit because he had a football game, but he would provide further updates once the call between the Department of Education and Chartwells took place.

UPDATE: 12 January 2021, 17:54 GMT Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office at 10 Downing Street issued a statement on the images of the food parcels, declaring them “unacceptable”.

“We are aware of the images being spread on social media and it is clear that the contents of the food parcels are completely unacceptable,” the prime minister’s official spokesman said in a press release via the BBC. ‘Food parcels must contain food that the parents contain can be used to make healthy lunches throughout the week. ‘

The Department of Education, the spokesperson added, would return to a food-proof scheme such as the one deployed during the UK’s first closure.

Chartwells would like to comment further.

This story develops …