Disabled and elderly, sick and immunosuppressed. The weakest citizens and consumers, sealed at home due to inability to move and reduced assistance, risk suffering nutritional deficiencies. Just when a balanced diet - with variety of vegetables, fruits and other fresh foods - is essential for supporting the immune system, especially at a certain age.
Égalité Onlus continues to urge large-scale distribution and ecommerce operators in Italy to organize the delivery of free shopping with priority in favor of the weakest. A petition and a questionnaire, to assess the effectiveness of the risk of food security in the ongoing Covid-19 emergency.
Home deliveries, the flop of the GDO in Italy
GDO is incapable to satisfy home delivery requests. Sites blocked, orders backlog for weeks. Absolute unpreparedness in managing an emergency that strikes, first of all:
- the weakest groups of population. That is to say the disabled, the elderly and the sick, who cannot leave the house due to physical impossibility and reduction (or suspension) of social assistance services, as well as the very serious risks of complications in the event of infection,
- the people in isolation domiciliary trustee, whose cohabitants are in turn exposed to a greater risk of contagion and should limit leaving the house to a minimum, to prevent the spread of the infection.
1 of 3. The only ones over-65 in Italy represent 22,6% of the population (Eurostat), in addition to 5,2% of disabled people (Istat) and other people suffering from serious chronic diseases who should not leave the house to avoid complications, even lethal in case of contagion. The disinterest of large-scale distribution and operators of ecommerce in Italy it therefore affects at least one consumer out of 3.
True paralysis it is evidently at the top of the large distribution groups. Which have not activated the synapse necessary to set up the necessary crisis units, to face a national emergency of food security which immediately requires:
- dedicated communication lines to disabled, immunosuppressed and over-65s. On the websites but also through 'toll-free numbers', taking into account the lack of 'digitization',
- workforce for warehouse and deliveries. Being able to entrust, among other things, to employees of companies and public establishments forced to lockdown from the decree 11.3.20 (cd decree #RestiamoaCasa),
- volunteer teams, to be recruited for home deliveries. With the help of Third Sector Entities but also through posters to be posted on the points of sale.
Social responsibility that the boss of large-scale distribution andecommerce often declaim it is confirmed to be, as already suspected, a mere operation of greenwashing. And even the words, in this situation, are zero.
# Égalité, the petition and the questionnaire
Égalité Onlus has addressed a appeal to the leaders of large-scale distribution and ecommerce in Italy, to obtain free delivery and priority for the disabled, over-65 and immunosuppressed. However, without receiving any feedback, outside of Carrefour and Giosto.
The petition - which we invite everyone to subscribe and promote, to support the shared appeal in support of the most vulnerable consumers - is located at this link.
The questionnaire - which we also ask you to fill in, following this link - was prepared by our research group. With the aim of assessing the possible impact of the Covid-19 emergency on food security of the weakest sections of the population. We also trust in your help to help the elderly and disabled to complete it.
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
A professional journalist since January 1995, she has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic studies on food and has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
