Whole Foods Stoke Newington tells customers not to give ‘money or food’ to beggars

Hackney branch of the healthy-eating food
chain has sparked ‘outrage’ with a sign telling people to consider
‘supporting charities’ instead

Reaction

The message, which is also repeated on the shop’s tills
according to the Hackney Gazette, has caused outrage in the
community.

One witness was so “incensed” by the sign that she confronted
the store staff, telling the Gazette: “I understand there’s a
problem but it’s pretty offensive, and it’s not true. At least give
details of a few local charities for people to contact.

“I fully accept they don’t want staff to be abused and they need
to take action, but the way it comes across is absolutely
shocking.”

Thames Reach, a homeless charity based in London, agrees that
giving money to beggars may not be a good idea, but adds that: “By
all means, engage with people on the street. Perhaps buy them food
or a cup of tea.”

“It’s b******s, man. It’s demonising the homeless community,”
said a spokesman for Streets Kitchen, a homeless charity. “The
no food thing is just beyond. The shop is supposed to be an
asset to the community.”

Twitter users also decried the sign:

Disappointing behaviour from Whole Foods
that comes from a complete ignorance of #homelessness. https://t.co/CxM2aES28R

— Samir Jeraj (@sajeraj) September 29, 2017

Last year, however, the BBC
wrote that studies show that giving money to beggars “can have
fatal consequences”, claiming that the outreach team of Thames
Reach estimated that “80 percent of people begging in the capital
do so to support a drug habit”.