Organisers claim that banks and hedge funds are helping to drive up food prices through their financial speculation tactics, resulting in the cost of basic foods increasing beyond the reach of millions of the world's poorest people.
The campaign comes after Barclays announced last month that it would end its food price speculation work, with chief executive chief Antony Jenkins saying the work was 'not compatible with our purpose'.
The World Development Movement estimates the bank made £278 million from the trade in 2012.
The organisation is calling for tough controls on speculation and for other banks to follow the example of Barclays.
Campaigners in Shropshire campaigners asked passers-by to take part in a 'five step programme' for bankers to stop them speculating on food prices, with steps including signing a postcard to local MPs, asking them to urge George Osborne to act to control the practice.
European finance ministers, including George Osborne, are due to vote on draft regulation to curb food speculation in the coming months.
But the UK government has so far failed to back tough controls.
Anthony Twist, from the Shropshire group of the World Development Movement, said: "Banks need our help to quit gambling on food. Only strong regulation will stop speculation playing havoc with prices. Food is a basic human need and banks must not be allowed to gamble on it to make a fast buck."
Last month, World Development Movement campaigner Christine Haigh welcomed Barclays' decision but added more action needs to be taken.
"One of the world's biggest banks has acknowledged that gambling on food is not an acceptable way to make money," she said.
"The only thing that will prevent banks driving up prices is tough regulation, and this is what the UK government should be supporting."
Just as a reminder, as we who are familiar with the Cs' info already know, the Consortium (so-called "elite." but who are more truly the secretive criminal vermin often also described as the PTB in all their ugly forms/guises in 3D/4D, and above), as is the case with so very many of its dirty deeds, uses the cover of secrecy / lies / deception / diversion / marginalization et al to prevent the herd from getting wind of their atrocious secrets, but the truth of food scarcity / rising food prices hitting the masses in modernized sections of the corporatocracy (Europe, US, etc) is one that is bubbling up to the surface, more and more these days...
Full Transcript Link:
https://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,29988.msg387170.html#msg387170
"A: Hikes January. Cassiopaea here!
Q: (L) What does "hikes January" mean? (Perceval) Maybe "yikes January"!
A: Prices.
Q: (Perceval) Price hikes. (L) Is that going to be a really significant issue?
A: Yes.
Q: (L) Why?
A: Food scarcity becomes more obvious, no longer able to cover it up.
Q: (L) Have they been covering up already existing food scarcity?
A: Oh yes!
Q: (L) Okay. Anything further going along that line?
A: Following food issues, always sickness.
Q: (Andromeda) Sickness like the plague?
A: Soon enough."
P.S.- Hey Jason (Martin), we send love from within the frequency fence over here in PA (Penn's Woods) - that goes for the rest of the SOTT Crew also !! (Joe, Niall, Laura, Ark, and all others who are helping us in such a HUGE way ~ love/thank you guys very much!)
~ rjc / ajb