Gavin Grey: UK Correspondent on Europe preparing for crisis and why the price of chocolate is rising

The EU has put out a list of items necessary for being caught in military or cyberattacks.

The Crisis Management Commissioner suggested 450 million people should stockpile three days’ worth of food, water, or other essentials in the case of these situations or natural disasters.

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey talks to Ryan Bridge about the recommendation and why the price of chocolate is rising.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ryan Bridge.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Kevin Gray's out a UK correspondent with us now given
good evening to you hi there are now we've got
lots of messages of support pouring and for King Charles.

Speaker 1 (00:11):
Yes, quite a shock that to find out that he's
canceled today's engagements. He was due to have four different
engagements in Birmingham in the Middlands. They have been canceled
because of what are being called side effects from cancer treatment.
And obviously we know that the diagnosis for the King
for his cancer came back in February of last year,

(00:32):
and we knew that he was being treated for cancer,
and the specifics have been kept pretty vague. But the
seventy six year old had gone by car, not ambulance
to the hospital and I think there's a general feeling
of playing this down. They just believe it was being
very careful with his symptoms and the doctors suggested that he,

(00:54):
on an otherwise good upward trajectory of recovery, has had
this brief setback and it's it's just not worth the
risk of him going to Birmingham and that he should rest.
It's said that he's back at his house in London.
Clarence house near Buckingham Palace and is undertaking sort of
state papers reading those making calls from his study. But yes,

(01:15):
we do know that that tour today has been canceled.
We're being told that his tour to Italy, due to
take place early next month is still down to go ahead.

Speaker 2 (01:26):
Well, good to have that update, givin thank you for that.
Now over in the EU, they've put out a list
of items that you will need and how long you'll
need to be self sufficient if there's a disaster. But interesting,
it's not just a natural disaster. There is military but
also cyber and techs are mentioned given.

Speaker 1 (01:44):
Yes, so this came from the Crisis Preparedness and Crisis
Management Commissioner for the European Union and it makes them
start reading suggesting that in the twenty seven nation block,
the four hundred and fifty million people there should stockpile
three days worth of food, water and other essentials in

(02:05):
case of a crisis. More than that, she's actually saying
the EU itself should build up a strategic reserve and
stockpile other critical resources, including firefighting planes, medical equipment and
assets against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. It all
sounds extremely depressing and worrying, and it's certainly making the

(02:28):
headlines here. Individuals advised to stockpile food, water, torches, identity papers,
medicine and shortwave radios. The Commissioner has basically saying that
it's not just fear of Russia and fear of war,
it's cyber attacks, climate change and disease. And the fear

(02:48):
is that these threats are getting more and more complex,
that they may be all interconnected, and that people in
Europe should get themselves ready. It is certainly a very
very dark period in terms of fears across the European
Union and the deed around the world.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
Well, you can take solace in a nice easter rig
for Easter, but they might cost you a little bit
more given.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
You could take solace in at Easter egg if you
could afford one. Because according to a price watchdog group
here in the UK called Which, prices have risen by
as much as fifty percent compared to last year. Now.
I don't know if you've been out shopping for your
Easter egg yet, run but the price of chocolate has
risen by sixteen and a half percent, so almost a

(03:31):
fifth outpacing an overall four point four percent increase in
the cost of supermarket food and drink. Why has chocolate
risen so much, Well, it is quite simply because of
the growing conditions. The global price of coco's risen sharply
in the last three years, reaching a record high in
January this year. The crops from West Africa in particular,

(03:52):
one of the world's main cocoa producing areas, really hit
hard by unusually dry weather in recent years, and where
some multiple or manufacturers have tried to absorb the prices.
It's now thought that in order to maintain quality, prices
have to rise. But not just the prices of eggs risen.
There is often a combined what we call shrink flation.

(04:13):
In other words, the eggs way less or are smaller
than the previous year, and yet are still being charged
a little bit more. Go check out those prices in
New Zealand.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
Run Yeah, we have actually Gavin, Thank you for that.
Kevin Gray are UK correspondent nine minutes away from seven
If you are interested. This is from New World Cabaret cream.
Eggs forty grams two dollars twenty nine each. I can
remember when they were dollar, but that was years ago.
Lind Gold milk Bunny one hundred grams nine to ninety
nine Cabriy Dairy milk marshmallow eggs one hundred and fifty

(04:46):
grams six dollars thirty nine each.

Speaker 1 (04:50):
Each.

Speaker 2 (04:51):
That is expensive, isn't it? If you can remember what
they were last year? Let us know? But who really can?

Speaker 1 (04:57):
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