Why food is so much cheaper in the UK compared to Malaysia?
With our neighbour Singapore earning their sing dollars at 3.30 higher than the ringgit, fellow Malaysians sure feel like the underdog.
Perhaps the grass is greener on the other side after all. This statement is about to be compounded by a recent video where a young girl shared her experience in the United Kingdom.
According to her, the average salary per hour at a part time job in the UK was able to purchase food stuff to last a week. Yes you read it right. A week!
In the video, she could be seen breaking down the cost, stating that the average wage per hour for a person aged 21 and above was at 12.21 pounds.
Gaji sejam tapi boleh beli makanan untuk seminggu. Besar juga gaji part time dekat UK. Macam macam juga boleh beli.
Kalau dekat Malaysia, 1 jam dalam RM8 boleh lah lepas makan ayam gepuk kot 😭 pic.twitter.com/ilP5jVTGye
— kamaghul deghaman (@kamaghul) July 1, 2025
With just 12.21 pounds, she was able to buy a loaf of bread, a week's worth of chicken meat, some vegetables, several oranges and a kilo of rice.
She added that this was the salary enjoyed by people working in MCDonalds or Starbucks. But why are Britons enjoying such cheap food?
The UK has seen grocery prices drop over time, thanks to a combination of rising household incomes and improvements in food production methods.
Modern farming practices, especially the increased use of machinery, have boosted efficiency and made it easier to maximise crop yields.
Meanwhile, advances in transportation, storage, and distribution have helped streamline the journey from farm to shelf.
Another major factor is the expansion of global trade. The UK now imports roughly 50% of its food—significantly more than the one-third it imported back in 1988.
This allows retailers to bring in products from countries where production is cheaper, bypassing the often higher costs of producing and processing food domestically. —July 1, 2025
Main image: @kamaghul (X)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Malaysia's property bubble: A wake up call
For generations, Malaysians have lived by an unwavering belief: Buy property. It never depreciates. This axiom has been deeply ingrained, marketed as an infallible shield against inflation, a tangible emblem of success and a steadfast repository of wealth consistently outpacing market volatility.
The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
MyDigital ID rollout must prioritise trust over compulsion, says think tank
PETALING JAYA: The government must prioritise public trust and voluntary participation over compulsion in implementing the MyDigital ID platform, says a policy think tank amid growing national debate on the digital identity system. Social and Economic Research Initiative (Seri) chairman Dr Helmy Haja Mydin said while MyDigital ID can be transformative for service delivery and governance, rushing into legislation to mandate adoption could backfire before gaining public confidence. "We must never lose sight of the fact that the rakyat's trust is earned, not assumed. Digital identity systems can bring enormous benefits, but only if people believe they are safe, effective, and in their interest. "Compulsion before confidence risks undermining the very system we are trying to build," he said in a statement on Saturday (July 26). Helmy Haja's comments came after the Dewan Rakyat was informed that the government is considering new legislation to accelerate MyDigital ID uptake. Currently, only 2.8 million Malaysians are registered, which is modest relative to the population. He added that other countries have achieved high adoption without legal mandates, largely by offering clear, everyday benefits through user-friendly platforms. Helmy Haja cited India's Aadhaar system, which gained traction because key government services and financial aid were channelled through it, not because it was mandatory. He added that Estonia and Singapore show that with thoughtful implementation, digital ID systems can flourish without mandates, by making them secure, convenient, and visibly beneficial. "Let the rakyat see how MyDigital ID simplifies life, whether it is for accessing subsidies, paying taxes, or interacting with banks. "When digital identity is seen as helpful, people will come on board without being forced," he said. Helmy Haja suggested that to build trust, the platform's purpose must be better communicated, as many Malaysians still do not fully understand how MyDigital ID works or what it offers. He noted that although MyDigital ID has begun integration with certain platforms like MyJPJ and MyBorderPass, broader usage across the digital government ecosystem remains patchy. "For real momentum, MyDigital ID must become a seamless key to unlocking public services, whether it is applying for university admission, accessing financial assistance, or filing taxes," he added. Helmy Haja also said that poor execution could severely damage public trust. He cited the Padu (Pangkalan Data Utama) platform as a cautionary tale, noting that issues with data accuracy, system usability, and inter-agency coordination had hurt its credibility despite high initial expectations. "Every failed or rushed rollout comes at a cost, not just in terms of wasted resources, but in eroding the very trust we need for future reforms to succeed," he said. Helmy Haja added the Home Ministry, which already issues MyKad, could be empowered to oversee MyDigital ID given its central role in identity governance that could help improve security, coordination, and user confidence. He said as Malaysia moves towards a digital-first government, Seri stressed that the goal should not be mass enrolment "at all costs" but rather the creation of a system that people choose to use. Helmy Haja outlined seven key recommendations; avoid premature legislation mandating registration, invest in public awareness and education on the benefits and safeguards of MyDigital ID, ensure system reliability and resilience, integrate meaningful services such as healthcare, education, taxes, and financial aid, enhance inter-ministerial system interoperability, provide opt-outs for non-essential services, and collaborate with civil society and grassroots networks to improve digital literacy and inclusion. He added Malaysia has the opportunity to become a leader in responsible digital governance but reminded that it must be done with care.
Barnama
11 hours ago
- Barnama
SERI Calls For Prioritising Public Trust And Awareness To Boost MyDigital ID Uptake
KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 (Bernama) -- The government should prioritise efforts to enhance public awareness and trust, while strengthening the reliability and resilience of the MyDigital ID system to encourage greater adoption among Malaysians. The Social and Economic Research Initiative (SERI), in a statement today, encouraged the government to avoid implementing mandatory registration for the digitalisation initiative at this stage. It emphasised the need to clearly communicate both the benefits and data protection measures of MyDigital ID to the public, while simultaneously integrating meaningful services such as financial aid, tax filing, university admissions and healthcare access to enhance the value of registration.
