Seven out of 10 Italians fear losing job
(ANSA) – Cernobbio, October 18 – Seven out of 10 people in recession-hit Italy fear losing their jobs, 53% are afraid they won’t be able to support their family and 16% admitted they personally knew somebody who had stolen food out of need, according to a survey carried out by farmers’ association Coldiretti and polling institute Ixe’ released on Friday.
The survey on ‘the perception of the crisis and Made in Italy’ presented at a forum on agriculture and nutrition in the northern Italian town of Cernobbio on Lake Como also found that 22% of Italian families said they would be in dire financial straits this fall.
And while 42% of Italians had no financial concerns, almost half of those polled, 45%, just about make it to the end of the month once all bills are paid and cannot afford any extras while another two million families, roughly 10%, live in poverty, the study said.
Families offer key support in this context, the survey said, with 37% forced to ask parents for money, 14% to ask relatives and 4% to ask their children.
Only 14% asked banks for loans while 8% asked their friends.
Overall, 35% of those polled were not optimistic and thought the situation would get worse, 51% thought it would remain unvaried while 14% were optimistic.
”The research showed strong concern together with resignation towards the general situation the country and people’s personal plights,” said the president of Coldiretti, Sergio Marini.