The
indicators of material deprivation measured by the EU
countries over recent years include objects that have
become necessities of contemporary life. Given the
ever-deteriorating public transport infrastructure, a car
has become indispensable for accessing services and
it also improves employment opportunities and mobility.
The lack of public transport affects the older population
who have difficulties with such things as shopping for
food (because corner-shops have been disappearing)
and accessing services of public importance such as
health and social services, postal and bank services
and the like. An important indicator of deprivation is
the household’s ability to afford a meat-based meal
or a comparable vegetarian meal every other day.
People living in poverty are especially deprived in this
respect, since they often depend on humanitarian
aid, but lunch packages distributed by humanitarian