The little van trundles on to the estate, and out of the small terrace houses pour mums clutching a purse in one hand and a child in the other. They’re not hurrying for 99 Flakes but for the essentials of life, such as bread and soap. Things that they can’t easily afford anywhere else.
If you want a closeup on the cost of living crisis, don’t ask an economist – speak to someone living it. The people in this queue in the town of Shotton, north Wales have their monthly budgets memorised down to the last decimal place. “Went down the shops this morning. Guess how much they’re charging for a cucumber?” asks Deana. “£1.10.” There are gasps. One woman frets about feeding her ginger rescue cat, Thomas. A couple of years ago £2 bought 10 cans of his brand of cat food; today, she says, it’s £4.95 for eight.
