Elderly and social insurance minister Anna Tenje (M) has criticized Borås for cutting back on food for the elderly while investing in the zoo. Municipal council chairman Ulf Olsson rejects the accusations, emphasizing that no savings have been made on food quality. The debate arose in a radio broadcast about rising food prices in elderly care.
In a debate on Sveriges Radio's Studio Ett on December 10, 2024, Minister Anna Tenje (M) and Social Democrats' group leader Lena Hallengren discussed cuts to food in elderly care due to rising prices. According to a review by Sveriges Radio, over 30 municipalities have reduced portions of salmon, meat, and fatty dairy products. Tenje singled out Borås, governed by an S-C-L-MP coalition, as an example of a Social Democratic issue. She claimed the municipality is cutting elderly food despite a 50 million kronor surplus in the elderly care committee, while allocating 240 million kronor to the municipal zoo. On social media, she edited the debate audio and stated 24 million kronor for the zoo instead, asking: “When did the zoo become more important than the elderly, Magdalena Andersson?” Ulf Olsson, Borås municipal council chairman, calls the criticism incorrect. He explains that in 2024, the municipality increased the budget for elderly care food by 6 percent beyond the regular adjustment to counter price rises, and this level will continue in 2025. During periods of high prices for organic foods, they switched to conventional alternatives, which caused Borås to appear on the list of municipalities with cuts. The zoo reported a loss of 22.9 million kronor in 2024, but Olsson stresses that no tax money has been used; losses are covered by profits from other municipal companies. The elderly care committee actually showed a surplus of 36 million kronor in 2024, per Olsson, and the municipality prioritizes resources to avoid future savings. Tenje's figures on the surplus and zoo investment differ from the municipality's data, highlighting the need for verification in political debates.
