Welcome to the Food Desert Website
Feeling hungry? No proper food in the house? Can't face that trek to the shops? Tempted by a burger and some chips from the local takeaway, or a chocolate bar, but it's not really healthy, is it? You may be living in a food desert. The food desert website tells you all about food deserts, why they affect everybody, the links to globalisation and social exclusion, and how the effects of food deserts may be alleviated or eliminated.
Part I - What are food deserts?
What is a food desert (17 June 2008) Original use of the term 'desert' in an urban context, 1990s definitions of 'food desert', food deserts as seen in other countries.
How did food deserts develop (19 June 2008) Development of grocery shopping in the UK from the 17th century (see Part V UK Small shops) for the most recent developments concerning the independent retailing sector. Links to economic, technological, social, and political / planning factors that have impacted on the UK grocery retail sector during this period.
Part II - Combating obesity and improving diet
Obesity figures (13 July 2008) Definition of obesity, obesity in the UK, obesity levels worldwide, theories on why obesity is rising, medical effects of obesity, and the financial costs of obesity and poor diet
What can be done to preserve access to groceries those affected by food deserts (18 August 2007) This section examines ways to keep small shops open, and more generally, how to preserve easy access to healthy food retailing for the disadvantaged. For the business climate affecting small grocery shops and the threats to this sector, see Part V, small shops.
Initiatives to improve diet for various groups (1 March 2008)
Part III - Research; food deserts, obesity, retailing, and related subjects
Existing published research on food deserts (1 March 2007)
Table of Food Desert Research - 142 food access - related articles listed here ( 21 June 2008) .....If you know of a publication that could appear in this section, please email Dr Hillary Shaw (hshaw@harper-adams.ac.uk, or hillshaw@aol.com), with a copy of the article if possible.
Part IV - UK Supermarket development.
UK Supermarket sales and profits. (13 July 2008). Annual financial figures for UK retailers.
UK Supermarket timelines and store numbers. (13 July 2008). Details key events, such as takeovers, new product development, new area penetration, in the development of UK grocery retailers, and the number of outlets operated in various years.
UK Supermarket market share, and size of total UK grocery market (13 July 2008)
Current trends and issues in food retailing, for supermarkets (21 June 2008)
Part V UK Small shops.
Current trends and issues in food retailing, for UK small shops (13 July 2008)
Current trends in financial institutions, banks and Post Offices, as relating to small shops (15 June 2007)
Part VI - World (non-UK) grocery retailing.
Non UK retailing situation, supermarkets and small shops, brief history of selected retailers (19 June 2008).
European countries (13 July 2008)
Countries from Asia, Africa, and The Americas (13 July 2008)
Part VII - food retailing maps, UK
INDEX MAP - has your area been mapped yet?
Key to maps; map symbols this links to a page explaining in more detail the map symbols and supermarket code letters show on the maps
|
Map Group |
Map |
Grid size |
Area of map (sq. km. |
date last extended |
|
None |
250 metres |
189.9375 |
21 July 2008 |
|
|
SOUTH COAST |
500 metres |
661.500 |
10 November 2006 |
|
|
SOUTH COAST |
250 metres |
122.5625 |
16 June 2007 |
|
|
SOUTH COAST |
250 metres |
77.0625 |
30 May 2007 |
|
|
SOUTH COAST |
500 metres |
860.750 |
16 June 2007 |
|
|
SOUTH COAST |
250 metres |
633.500 |
10 November 2006 |
|
|
None |
500 metres |
511.5000 |
28 September 2007 |
|
|
None |
250 metres |
149.250 |
5 April 2005 |
|
|
None |
250 metres |
98.1875 |
21 July 2008 |
|
|
MIDLANDS |
250 metres |
1,603.8125 |
28 September 2007 |
|
|
MIDLANDS |
500 metres |
12.00 New Map |
5 February 2008 |
|
|
MIDLANDS |
250 metres |
1.500 New Map |
9 February 2008 |
|
|
MIDLANDS |
500 metres |
103.0000 |
14 April 2008 |
|
|
MIDLANDS |
500 metres |
742.5000 |
14 March 2008 |
|
|
MIDLANDS |
500 metres |
1,273.000 |
21 July 2008 |
|
|
MIDLANDS |
250 metres |
76.000 |
9 February 2008 |
|
|
MIDLANDS |
250 metres |
555.000 |
14 April 2008 |
|
|
YORKS & LINCOLN |
250 metres |
206.0625 |
1999 |
|
|
YORKS & LINCOLN |
250 metres |
206.0625 |
2002 |
|
|
YORKS & LINCOLN |
250 metres |
31.5625 |
14 April 2008 |
|
|
YORKS & LINCOLN |
500 metres |
|
1999 |
|
|
YORKS & LINCOLN |
500 metres |
|
2002 |
|
|
YORKS & LINCOLN |
500 metres |
1,386.500 |
17 April 2005 |
|
|
YORKS & LINCOLN |
250 metres |
24.625 |
9 July 2004 |
|
|
None |
250 metres |
80.5625 |
5 October 2004 |
|
|
TOTAL UK |
|
|
9,419.625 |
|
Part VIII - food desert maps of France (French - deserts d' alimentaire)
|
Map Group |
Map |
Grid size |
Area of map (sq. km. |
date last extended |
|
None |
250 metres |
671.000 |
15 July 2007 |
|
|
None |
500 metres |
277.000 |
26 April 2006 |
|
|
TOTAL FRANCE |
|
|
948.000 |
|
Part IX - food desert maps of Germany (German - Lebensmittelwuste)
|
Map Group |
Map |
Grid size |
Area of map (sq. km. |
date last extended |
|
None |
500 metres |
705.250 NewMap |
17 June 2008 |
|
|
TOTAL GERMANY |
|
|
705.250 |
|
Global Total = 11,073.000 square kilometers
Part VIII - quantitative analysis of the food desert maps - This section under construction
Scunthorpe, distance to fresh fruit and vegetable shops, 1999 ( 8 January 2005)
Part IX- related sites
Useful web links (18 August 2007)
If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this site, please email hshaw@harper-adams.ac.uk, or hillshaw@aol.com, or write to Dr Hillary Shaw, Business Management and Marketing Group, Harper Adams University College, Edgmond, nr. Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB