With US Presidential elections taking place next month, all kinds of figures about the American economy are coming to light.  Here are three that caught me completely unawares.

• 46.7 million people used the US food stamp programme in June.
• $75 billion was spent on the scheme last year.
• At least one sixth of Kraft’s revenues come from food stamp purchases, according to its new Chief Executive Tony Vernon.

“Our biggest challenge is feeding the 50 million Americans who live below the poverty line,”  he told the Financial Times.