Kathmandu. The coronavirus pandemic has increased unemployment and economic uncertainty all over the world and the scenario in the United States is no different. With 150,000  new COVID-19 cases being reported per day, the American economy has turned chaotic which in turn has massively hit the  life style of US citizens. Many people in the US have been forced to shoplift various food items.

There has been a rise in cases of people shoplifting food and hygiene items from various supermarkets across the United States of America. Retail theft in Philadelphia has risen by 60%, a report says.

According to the latest data from the Census Bureau, nearly 26 million adults — or 1 in 8 Americans — reported of not having enough food to eat as of mid-November.

It is reported that more than 20 million Americans are on some form of unemployment assistance, and 12 million will run out of benefits the day after Christmas unless new relief materializes. A US$ 4.5 billion food program by Trump is also running out of money. Although a $908 billion bill is on progress, congressional aides say that details on the bill are still being worked out.

In Washington Post, Jeff Zisner, chief executive of workplace security firm Aegis, talks about the increase in a different, subtler type of crime: more cases of theft and robbery of costly goods used to be reported in the past, but  now, more and more people are  “stealing consumables and items associated with children and babies.”

People are facing situations never experienced before. With no job and, hence, no money, they are resorting to shoplifting to make their daily ends meet. The pandemic has forced people to stoop low and the worse thing about it is that they don’t feel much guilt about it.

How hunger is being a major issue in the United States, even though it is one of the most powerful countries in the world, is a pressing matter of concern and it also appears true that in the fight for survival, society does not care much about moral compass, in any part of the world.