Message in a bottle: Amnesty International UK delivers important campaign about the food crisis

This new campaign from Hope & Glory wakes the nation up to the national food crisis with letters from a neighbour struggling to afford food.

Hundreds of people across London, Manchester, Birmingham and Oxford woke up this morning to find a milk bottle on their doorstep with a letter from a neighbour struggling to afford food. A selection of the letters in bottles has also been delivered to Prime Minister Andy Burnham at 10 Downing Street.

The Message In A Bottle campaign, created by creative agency Hope & Glory, features handwritten letters of moving personal experiences of food insecurity from people living in the recipients' own communities. Each letter asks neighbours a simple question: ‘Will you stand with me by supporting the right to food?’

The letters transform a familiar doorstep delivery into a striking message from one resident to another. 

Each bottle carries more than just the missing milk: a neighbour's story of impossible choices and the daily stress of putting food on the table, but also a belief that change is possible.

The action forms part of Amnesty International UK's ongoing campaign calling the government to protect the right to food in law.

The messages in milk bottles arrive as inflation puts more pressure on household budgets.

Among those sharing their story with Amnesty is Tyler from London: "Sharing my story isn't easy, but food insecurity goes so much deeper than just what’s on your plate; it's tied up in high housing costs, benefits, and energy bills. No one should have to sit in the dark or skip meals just so their family can eat. Having access to affordable food and being able to choose what you eat should be a basic right for everyone, not a luxury."

Lauren Godfrey-French, brand and marketing manager, Amnesty International: “Our ambition is for human rights to feel personal, relevant and like a positive force in people’s everyday lives. ‘Message in a Bottle’ puts real experiences of worrying about affording food at its heart, with people sharing their stories directly with their neighbours and asking them to stand with them. At a time when so much can feel divisive, there’s something really hopeful about people coming together around our shared rights and showing that change is possible.”

Indy Selvarajah, executive creative director at Hope & Glory: "There is nothing more deeply rooted in UK culture than finding a milk bottle on your doorstep in the morning. We wanted to take that iconic piece of British heritage and turn it into a mirror for the reality millions face today. Because empty bottles tell a very different story—one of food insecurity happening right on our streets. And by placing real stories inside them, we transformed a familiar icon of warmth into a call for empathy and urgent change."

Amnesty International’s new polling found that 75% have worried, or know someone who has, about the cost of food. 82% believe everyone should have a legal right to food, and 85% say it's unacceptable that some people cannot afford enough food.

People can support Amnesty International UK's Right to Food campaign by signing the petition.

Credits:

Brand: Amnesty International UK
Agency: Hope & Glory
Executive Creative Director: Indy Selvarajah
Managing Director: Don Ferguson
Account Manager: Danny Kent