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Feeding the food insecure in Britain: learning from the 2020 COVID-19 crisis

Author

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  • Margo Barker

    (Sheffield Hallam University)

  • Jean Russell

    (University of Sheffield)

Abstract

The lockdown in Britain has rendered a large proportion of the population economically vulnerable and has at least quadrupled demand for emergency food relief. This paper looks critically at response to the crisis from the government and the voluntary sector with respect to provision of emergency food. In doing so, it has exposed gaps in understanding of the vagaries of the food supply for certain population groups and systemic weaknesses in the current system of emergency food aid. We make recommendations for healthier governmental capacity to react to a food security crisis, better relationships between the government and the voluntary sector, and further research into the dietary constraints of the precariate. Importantly, the social system needs to be responsive to short-term changes in people’s income if people are not to fall into food insecurity.

Suggested Citation

  • Margo Barker & Jean Russell, 2020. "Feeding the food insecure in Britain: learning from the 2020 COVID-19 crisis," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(4), pages 865-870, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:12:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s12571-020-01080-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s12571-020-01080-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Garthwaite, K.A. & Collins, P.J. & Bambra, C., 2015. "Food for thought: An ethnographic study of negotiating ill health and food insecurity in a UK foodbank," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 38-44.
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    Cited by:

    1. Paulien Dekkinga & Hilje Horst & Thirza Andriessen, 2022. "“Too big to fail”: the resilience and entrenchment of food aid through food banks in the Netherlands during the COVID-19 pandemic," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(3), pages 781-789, June.
    2. Simona Zollet & Luca Colombo & Paola De Meo & Davide Marino & Steven R. McGreevy & Nora McKeon & Simona Tarra, 2021. "Towards Territorially Embedded, Equitable and Resilient Food Systems? Insights from Grassroots Responses to COVID-19 in Italy and the City Region of Rome," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-24, February.
    3. Anca C. Farcas & Charis M. Galanakis & Carmen Socaciu & Oana L. Pop & Dorin Tibulca & Adriana Paucean & Mirela A. Jimborean & Melinda Fogarasi & Liana C. Salanta & Maria Tofana & Sonia A. Socaci, 2020. "Food Security during the Pandemic and the Importance of the Bioeconomy in the New Era," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Filippo Oncini, 2021. "Food support provision in COVID-19 times: a mixed method study based in Greater Manchester," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(4), pages 1201-1213, December.
    5. Capodistrias, Paula & Szulecka, Julia & Corciolani, Matteo & Strøm-Andersen, Nhat, 2022. "European food banks and COVID-19: Resilience and innovation in times of crisis," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PA).
    6. Alexandria J. Drake & Lora A. Phillips & Brajesh Karna & Shakthi Bharathi Murugesan & Lily K. Villa & Nathan A. Smith, 2023. "Food insecurity and disasters: predicting disparities in total and first-time food pantry visits during the COVID-19 pandemic," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(2), pages 493-504, April.
    7. Kevin M. Fitzpatrick & Don E. Willis, 2021. "Homeless and hungry: food insecurity in the land of plenty," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(1), pages 3-12, February.
    8. Nuno Baptista & Helena Alves & Nelson Matos, 2022. "Scoping Challenges and Opportunities Presented by COVID-19 for the Development of Sustainable Short Food Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-22, November.

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