More people with an average income need Food Bank aid

Inflation and high energy prices have more Netherlands residents turning to the food bank for aid. And those in need are no longer only people with low incomes, Leo Wijnbelt of the Food Banks Association Netherlands said to the Nederlands Dagblad.

Food bank customers have increased by an average of 15 percent since January, Wijnbelt said, based on figures from local food banks. The increase amounts to about 6,000 extra families using the additional food supply. "That is significant," he said.

The increase differs per location, Wijnbelt added. "Some have not seen an increase. Others see a larger increase." But most food banks noted that their customer base is expanding to include people with higher incomes.

"It is not only people with a minimum wage or on welfare who report to us," Wijnbelt said to the newspaper. "It is rapidly expanding to people with an average income. Many families have little or no savings. If their energy bill goes up, they immediately have an issue."