Every two years, the CSA institute carries out a study for the Fédération Française des Banques Alimentaires, in order to define the profile of food aid beneficiaries and to propose appropriate solutions.
The last study was carried out from September 30 to November 10 2020 on nearly 1,000 beneficiaries of partner associations of the French Food Banks.It also makes it possible to measure the impact of the health crisis on food insecurity.
The main findings
The average age of the food aid beneficiary is 48 years old. The majority of them (70%) are women and 45% are 50 years or older. 56% of beneficiaries have at least one child and 31% of them have a dependent child under 3 years old. In total, 30% of beneficiaries are single-parent families and 37% are isolated people.
The study shows that a majority (51%) of beneficiaries have been using food aid for less than a year and 35% for less than 6 months. While job loss, illness and separation are still the top three reasons for the worsening financial situation of beneficiaries, the impact of the health crisis is palpable. Thus, 12% of respondents say that their financial difficulties have worsened as a result of the Covid-19 health crisis. Finally, more than half of the beneficiaries (52%) go to the food aid association at least once a week.
Food aid, a necessity
At a time when the “food voucher” arouses debate, it is important to stress that 66% of the beneficiaries questioned wish to be supported.Also, it seems difficult to think that food aid can be dematerialized and / or removed from the human link necessary for people in precarious situations.
“For Food Banks, the provision of food must be considered as essential to the social bond in a process of welcoming, listening and support in order to promote the return to autonomy of the people supported, in theirgiving full confidence in themselves and their abilities.“Claude Baland, President of the Fédération Française des Banques Alimentaires.
Read the full study(in French) here.
