Abstract
Ill-health associated with poor diet has underlined the importance of food consumption
as a central issue of public policy. One of the key interventions to promote healthy
eating in socio-economically disadvantaged local areas is the community food initiative
(CFI). This dissertation reports the findings of a comparative, cross-national study of
two umbrella CFIs, a shop based co-op initiative in Edinburgh, Scotland and a box
scheme initiative in Toronto, Canada. The main aim of the study was to explore the
process by which CFIs approach their key goal of increasing consumption of fruit and
vegetables among users, and to assess the extent to which this goal is achieved. The
more specific objectives were: first, to investigate the extent of change in users'
purchasing and consumption behaviour and perceptions of the initiatives; secondly, to
investigate and contrast the history and philosophy of the CFIs in order to locate and
understand them within the context of the countries' policy developments; and, thirdly,
to examine their designs, how they operate and the daily processes involved.
Following a review of the literature on the relevant policy context in each country, a
range of methods (participant observation, discussions and interviews with people
working in various capacities at the initiatives and documentary sources) was used to
develop an understanding of the operation, origin and values of the initiatives. A
qualitative panel study design was undertaken, with two in-depth interviews carried out
over a six-month period with the parents of young children who had recently begun to
use their local CFI (eleven parents in Edinburgh and ten parents in Toronto). The main
focus of the interviews was on users' perceptions and experiences of food provisioning,
purchasing, preparation, cooking and eating, with a view to understanding the process of
change in households' food choices and any barriers to such change. The study also
explored the respondents' interests in, and attitudes towards, their CFI in the context of
their experience of using other food shopping outlets, the social gains from using the
CFI, and the influence of their wider interests in the community, food, farming and the
environment.
While use of the CFIs did result in the consumption of more fruit and vegetables among
all study participants, the extent to which this happened was dependent upon many
factors, including: respondents' opportunity to continue to use the initiatives in relation
to their time constraints; interests in supporting community initiatives; wider concerns
about food, farming and the environment; and the levels of confidence, motivation, skills
and knowledge to prepare and cook fruit and vegetables. In general, the initiatives were
of most benefit to those who were sufficiently competent and confident to attempt to
cook meals that incorporated a wide range of fruit and vegetables. Different types of
intervention will be required in future to empower individuals who lack the skills,
knowledge and confidence to prepare and consume more fruit and vegetables to change
their food consumption practices.
