A REPORT by the Anchor charity claiming “automated checkout machines put off about a quarter of older people from going shopping” also highlighted the knock-on effect not only for the elderly customer, but the loss of revenue for the retailer. But, as the report suggested, the effects go much further, exacerbating the issue of loneliness and isolation. Going to the shop for a pint of milk is no longer a social event of meeting someone to say hello. It can be a very stressful event.

Local shopkeepers were once a source of community involvement, keeping an eye out for each other, but no longer as large, impersonal supermarkets take over and in the game of money saving, staff are done away with in favour of machines. Even banks are down the road of touch-screen automation, amidst branch closures. Even my local doctor’s surgery has a touch-screen appointment on arrival for appointments – no need for any contact with the friendly receptionist, who in due course will get her hours cut!

This report went on to estimate that 1.2 million people in the UK are suffering from chronic loneliness, so why are we going down the road of encouraging a route that will only aggravate this situation? We keep going on about equality in society, changing laws to allow inclusiveness – where does our ageing population feature in this?

Catriona C Clark
Banknock, Falkirk

“RELIGION is the opium of the masses” is probably Karl Marx’s most quoted saying. Exciting news indeed then that this government is lauding the possible arrival of big pharma companies to the UK’s shores as an economic saviour. We only have to look across the pond to see the phenomenal success of the big pharmaceutical giants as their products (especially opioids) top the polls for the cause of premature deaths in many states. Two years ago, deaths from overdoses of prescription drugs in the US were more than for road traffic accidents and gun-related deaths combined.

Now that political mismanagement and the result of xenophobia has pushed Britain further into decline – and even families with adults in work (often especially families with adults in work) struggle to make ends meet – maybe opiates can now be the opium of the masses.

Amanda Baker
Edinburgh

I AM writing with reference to the letter from Gordon Ford regarding seeing a Union Flag on the uniform of a police officer (Letters, The National, November 25). I only know of one reason the Union Flag will be on a uniform and that is because it is a charity cloth patch that can be purchased from UK Cop Humour. They raise funds which are donated to various charities supporting the emergency services. The patch is of the Union Flag with a blue line through it representing the police service (the thin blue line), a red line through the flag represents the fire service and a green line represents the ambulance service. Patches can also be purchased with all three coloured stripes through the flag. I do not know where the information came from that it represents the Police Firearms Officers Association, but may officers in very many different departments and roles have this patch. The patch only serves to show officers who have bought the patch, from which ever service, are supporting other less fortunate officers, or indeed the dependants of officers injured or killed in the line of duty, (for example donating to COPS – Care of Police Survivors.)

UK Cop Humour has nothing to do with branding things as British rather than Scottish; the charity has been around quite a bit longer than the recent trend with produce.

Name and address supplied

HAMMOND’s quip that he had been badgered by the 13 Tory MPs into cutting the VAT charge on the combined police and fire services, something the Scottish Government had been requesting for last two years, clearly demonstrates one thing that we have all know for years and that is that Tories only listen to other Tories ignoring all others in society.

It also raises another interesting point, what has Mundell been doing for the last two years?

Should he not have been arguing for Scottish side? Can the Tories really treat Scots with such disdain?

Roy Bertram
Kemnay