Food costs and income are relative

Thursday, May 2, 2013

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, citizens of Cameroon, a state in Central Africa, spend $9 per household on food and drink every week. Compared to the United States, where food costs $43, it sounds look a good deal. But the $9 amounts to 47 per cent of a Cameroonian's weekly income compared to eight per cent of an American's.

High percentage of income expenditures on food and drink in the developing world aren't a surprise to most in North America. More of a surprise might be the less-than-enviable spending by residents of Belarus. Residents of the former Soviet Republic spend $26 a week, 42 per cent of their income. Economic growth and population are going backwards.

Compare that to India, where food costs are $5/day/household and 27 per cent of income.  Neighbouring Pakistan is $7 a day, and 43 per cent of income on food.  

A chart, published on the website of Britain's The Economist, shows that country and the United States tied for spending per person per week on food at $43. The difference is that the food and beverage spending in Britain is about 13 per cent of income, while it is eight per cent of an American's income. Canada isn't among the 22 countries on the chart. Hard to say if the Brits consider us a colony or the 51st state. BF