05/03/2026
Why Hong Kong should invest in food recovery
SCMP | Letters | 4 Mar 2026
Readers discuss an opportunity to prioritise poverty alleviation for the city’s most vulnerable
The financial secretary’s 2026-27 budget, reporting a surplus of HK$2.9 billion in the consolidated account, provides a prime opportunity to prioritise targeted poverty alleviation for the city’s most vulnerable. While the government celebrates a return to fiscal health, our frontline data suggests that the social safety net for the grass roots remains under immense strain.
A recent survey conducted by the Food Commons Foundation between January 21 and February 3, involving 103 beneficiaries – most of whom are senior citizens – highlights a looming crisis.
If community food recovery services were suspended due to termination of government subsidies, 68.9 per cent of these individuals warned that their life stress would surge to a “breaking point”. For our elderly on limited budgets, food recovery is not merely an environmental gesture; it is a critical economic lifeline.
The economic impact is tangible: 50.5 per cent of the surveyed households save more than HK$500 monthly on groceries, including 13.6 per cent who save more than HK$1,000. In a city with soaring living costs, these savings are often redirected to life-saving medication or essential daily supplies. Beyond the numbers, 93.2 per cent of the respondents reported improved nutrition through fresh vegetables, while all of them said the recovery process provided them with a sense of care and dignity in their twilight years.
While the government continues to prioritise massive capital investment in hardware, such as the O·PARK2 organic waste treatment facility, it should not overlook the multiplier effect of community-based initiatives. Our analysis shows that every HK$1 invested in food recovery programmes yields around HK$6.50 worth of nutritious food for the needy. This is a highly cost-effective model of precision poverty alleviation that combines environmental goals with social welfare.
We urge the administration to sustain street market recovery projects that provide both environmental benefits and vital community support for the elderly. To stand in solidarity with our seniors, we invite the public to join our Food Save Walkathon on March 15 in Tai Wai. Let us walk together to ensure that Hong Kong’s fiscal surplus is translated into tangible dignity for all residents.
Leung Kam-tim, registered social worker and chairman of Food Commons Foundation
https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3345247/why-hong-kong-should-invest-food-recovery?module=top_story&pgtype=subsection
