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.

Click here to see how many people have visited this site; how many from your country?

Part I - What are Food Deserts and How to Measure Them?

What is a food desert (27 July 2010) 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 (18 May 2009) 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

Where are the food deserts (24 February 2009)? Welcome to Desertia City, see what sorts of places may be food deserts - do you live in one?

Measuring Food Deserts (27 July 2010) quantifying their extent and intensity

Part II - Combating obesity and improving diet (back to top)

Obesity figures for the UK (15 Janauary 2012) Definition of obesity, obesity and social factors, and the financial costs of obesity and poor diet

Obesity, causes and medical effects (15 May2011) the biology of obesity, and its medical effects and links to disease

Obesity levels worldwide (non-UK) (15 January 2012)

What can be done to preserve access to groceries those affected by food deserts (10 August 2009).  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 (27 July 2010)

Part III - Research; food deserts, obesity, retailing, and related subjects (back to top)

Existing published research on food deserts (1 March 2007)

Table of Food Desert Research  - 217 food access - related articles listed here (15 January 2012) .....If you know of a publication that you would like to appear in this section, please email Dr Hillary Shaw (hshaw@fooddeserts.org) or hillshaw@aol.com), with a copy of the article if possible

Part IV - UK Supermarket development (back to top)

UK supermarket sales and profits. (25 September 2011).  Annual financial figures for UK retailers.

Non-Tesco - UK Supermarket timelines and store numbers (15 January 2012).  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.

Tesco - Supermarket timelines and store numbers (15 January 2012).  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 (15 January 2012)

Current trends and issues in food retailing, for supermarkets (15 May 2011)

See also PART XII, World Socio-Demographic Data Maps, below

Part V  UK Small shops (back to top)

Current trends and issues in food retailing, for UK small shops (25 September 2011)

Current trends in Post Offices, as relating to small shops (15 May 2011)

Part VI - World (non-UK) grocery retailing. (back to top)

Non UK retailing situation, supermarkets and small shops, brief history of selected retailers

European countries (15 January 2012)

Countries from Asia, Africa, and the Americas (15 January 2012)

See also PART XII, World Socio-Demographic Data Maps, below

Part VII - food retailing maps, UK (back to top)

Click here for INDEX MAP of UK - has your area been mapped yet?

Click here for INDEX MAP of EUROPE

Key to maps; map symbols this links to a page explaining in more detail the map symbols shown on the maps. For supermarket codes see supermarket code list

All UK maps are grid size 250 metres

Map name, number	Year of mapping	Area mapped (square kilometers)	Grid boundaries (N, S, E, W)
1) Lands End	No data	0	060 N, 010 S, 180 E, 130 W
2) Bodmin	No data	0	080 N, 030 S, 230 E, 180 W
3) Plymiuth & Torbay	No data	0	080 N, 030 S, 300 E, 230 W
4) Bude	No data	0	130 N, 080 S, 230 E, 180 W
5) Okehampton	No data	0	130 N, 080 S, 280 E, 230 W
6) Exeter	No data	0	130 N, 080 S, 330 E, 280 W
7) Yeovil & Weymouth	No data	0	130 N, 070 S, 380 E, 330 W
8) Bournemouth	2006	542	130 N, 070 S, 430 E, 380 W
9) Southampton & Portsmouth	2005 - 2011	1,278	130 N, 070 S, 480 E, 430 W
10) Brighton west & Chichester	2011	411	130 N, 080 S, 530 E, 480 W
11) Brighton east & Eastbourne	No data	0	130 N, 080 S, 580 E, 530 W
12) Barnstaple	No data	0	180 N, 130 S, 280 E, 230 W
13) Cardiff & Minehead	No data	0	180 N, 130 S, 330 E, 280 W
14) Bristol & Bath	2007 - 2010	958	180 N, 130 S, 380 E, 330 W
15) Devizes	2006 - 2007	56	180 N, 130 S, 430 E, 380 W
16) Reading & Andover	2006 - 2011	755	180 N, 130 S, 480 E, 430 W
17) London SW & Aldershot	2010	36	180 N, 130 S, 530 E, 480 W
18) London SE & Maidstone	2010	139	180 N, 130 S, 580 E, 530 W
19) Ashford & Dover	No data	0	180 N, 110 S, 640 E, 580 W
20) Pembroke & Cardigan	2011	82	260 N, 190 S, 230 E, 170 W
21) Swansea	No data	0	230 N, 180 S, 280 E, 230 W
22) Merthyr Tydfil	No data	0	230 N, 180 S, 330 E, 280 W
23) Newport & Monmouth	No data	0	230 N, 180 S, 380 E, 330 W
24) Gloucester & Swindon	No data	0	230 N, 180 S, 430 E, 380 W
25) Oxford	No data	0	230 N, 180 S, 480 E, 430 W
26) London NW & Luton	2000 - 2011	412	230 N, 180 S, 530 E, 480 W
27) London NE & Chelmsford	2000 - 2011	430	230 N, 180 S, 580 E, 530 W
28) Southend & Colchester	No data	0	230 N, 180 S, 630 E, 580 W
29) Lampeter	2011	1,353	280 N, 230 S, 280 E, 230 W
30) Builth Wells	2011	1,028	280 N, 230 S, 330 E, 280 W
31) Hereford & Leominster	2010 - 2011	376	280 N, 230 S, 380 E, 330 W
32) Worcester & Warwick	2003 - 2007	344	280 N, 230 S, 430 E, 380 W
33) Coventry & Northampton	2011	18	280 N, 230 S, 480 E, 430 W
34) Bedford	2005 - 2011	451	280 N, 230 S, 530 E, 480 W
35) Cambridge & Newmarket	2011	362	280 N, 230 S, 580 E, 530 W
36) Ipswich	No data	0	280 N, 230 S, 660 E, 580 W
37) Barmouth	2011	1,008	340 N, 280 S, 280 E, 210 W
38) Welshpool	2010 - 2011	2,385	330 N, 280 S, 330 E, 280 W
39) Shrewsbury & Telford	2007 - 2011	2,500	330 N, 280 S, 380 E, 330 W
40) Birmingham & Stafford	2000 - 2011	2,303	330 N, 280 S, 430 E, 380 W
41) Leicester	2007 - 2011	1,474	330 N, 280 S, 480 E, 430 W
42) Peterborough	2011	327	330 N, 280 S, 530 E, 480 W
43) Kings Lynn	No data	0	330 N, 280 S, 580 E, 530 W
44) Norwich	No data	0	350 N, 280 S, 660 E, 580 W
45) Anglesey	No data	0	400 N, 340 S, 280 E, 210 W
46) Denbigh	2010	6	390 N, 330 S, 330 E, 280 W
47) Chester & Crewe	2007 - 2011	1,575	380 N, 330 S, 380 E, 330 W
48) Stoke on Trent & Bakewell	2007 - 2012	1,384	380 N, 330 S, 430 E, 380 W
49) Nottingham & Chesterfield	2011	19	380 N, 330 S, 480 E, 430 W
50) Lincoln & Grantham	2005	68	380 N, 330 S, 530 E, 480 W
51) The Wash	No data	0	380 N, 330 S, 580 E, 530 W
52) Liverpool & Bolton	No data	0	430 N, 380 S, 380 E, 320 W
53) Leeds SW & Manchester	2002	60	430 N, 380 S, 430 E, 380 W
54) Leeds SE & Sheffield	2000 - 2004	233	430 N, 380 S, 480 E, 430 W
55) Scunthorpe & Grimsby	2004 - 2005	1,096	430 N, 380 S, 560 E, 480 W
56) Blackpool & Lancaster	No data	0	480 N, 430 S, 380 E, 310 W
57) Leeds NW & Burnley	2002	316	480 N, 430 S, 430 E, 380 W
58) Leeds NE & York	2002	109	480 N, 430 S, 480 E, 430 W
59) Beverley & Bridlington	2004 - 2008	31	480 N, 430 S, 540 E, 480 W
60) Isle of Man	No data	0	510 N, 460 S, 260 E, 210 W
61) Whitehaven	No data	0	530 N, 480 S, 330 E, 280 W
62) Kendal	No data	0	530 N, 480 S, 380 E, 330 W
63) Barnard Castle	No data	0	530 N, 480 S, 430 E, 380 W
64) Middlesborough	No data	0	530 N, 480 S, 480 E, 430 W
65) Scarborough	No data	0	530 N, 480 S, 530 E, 480 W
66) Stranraer	No data	0	580 N, 530 S, 230 E, 180 W
67) Newton Stewart	No data	0	580 N, 530 S, 280 E, 230 W
68) Dumfries & Maryport	No data	0	580 N, 530 S, 330 E, 280 W
69) Carlisle	No data	0	580 N, 530 S, 380 E, 330 W
70) Newcastle on Tyne	1999 - 2011	132	580 N, 530 S, 460 E, 380 W
71) Campbelltown & Girvan	No data	0	630 N, 580 S, 230 E, 160 W
72) Ayr & Cumnock	No data	0	630 N, 580 S, 280 E, 230 W
73) Moffat	No data	0	630 N, 580 S, 330 E, 280 W
74) Hawick	No data	0	630 N, 580 S, 380 E, 330 W
75) Alnwick	No data	0	630 N, 580 S, 440 E, 380 W
76) Islay	No data	0	680 N, 630 S, 180 E, 110 W
77) Bute	No data	0	680 N, 630 S, 230 E, 180 W
78) Glasgow	No data	0	680 N, 630 S, 280 E, 230 W
79) Edinburgh	No data	0	680 N, 630 S, 330 E, 280 W
80) Galashiels & Haddington	No data	0	680 N, 630 S, 380 E, 330 W
81) Berwick on Tweed	No data	0	680 N, 630 S, 430 E, 380 W
82) Colonsay	No data	0	730 N, 680 S, 180 E, 120 W
83) Inveraray	No data	0	730 N, 680 S, 230 E, 180 W
84) Callander	No data	0	730 N, 680 S, 280 E, 230 W
85) Perth & Dunferrmline	No data	0	730 N, 680 S, 330 E, 280 W
86) St Andrews	No data	0	730 N, 680 S, 380 E, 330 W
87) Coll & Tiree	No data	0	780 N, 730 S, 130 E, 080 W
88) Tobermory	No data	0	780 N, 730 S, 180 E, 130 W
89) Fort William	No data	0	780 N, 730 S, 230 E, 180 W
90) Rannoch	No data	0	780 N, 730 S, 280 E, 230 W
91) Pitlochry & Blairgowrie	No data	0	780 N, 730 S, 330 E, 280 W
92) Forfar & Montrose	No data	0	780 N, 730 S, 390 E, 330 W
93) Skye south	No data	0	830 N, 780 S, 180 E, 110 W
94) Glen Shiel	No data	0	830 N, 780 S, 230 E, 180 W
95) Kingussie	No data	0	830 N, 780 S, 280 E, 230 W
96) Grantown on Spey	No data	0	830 N, 780 S, 330 E, 280 W
97) Ballater	No data	0	830 N, 780 S, 380 E, 330 W
98) Aberdeen	No data	0	830 N, 780 S, 430 E, 380 W
99) Skye north	No data	0	880 N ,830 S, 180 E, 110 W
100) Kinlochewe	No data	0	880 N, 830 S, 230 E, 180 W
101) Inverness	No data	0	880 N, 830 S, 280 E, 230 W
102) Nairn & Elgin	No data	0	880 N, 830 S, 330 E, 280 W
103) Huntly & Macduff	No data	0	880 N, 830 S, 380 E, 330 W
104) Fraserburgh & Peterhead	No data	0	880 N, 830 S, 430 E, 380 W
105) Ullapool	No data	0	930 N, 880 S, 230 E, 160 W
106) Lairg	No data	0	930 N, 880 S, 280 E, 230 W
107) Helmsdale	No data	0	930 N, 880 S, 330 E, 280 W
108) Scourie	No data	0	980 N, 930 S, 230 E, 180 W
109) Tongue	No data	0	980 N, 930 S, 280 E, 230 W
110) Wick & Thurso	No data	0	980 N, 930 S, 340 E, 280 W
111) Outer Hebrides	No data	0	-
112) Orkney Islands	No data	0	-
112) Shetland Islands	No data	0	-
TOTAL UK		24,040

Part VIII - food desert maps of Denmark (Danish – fodevarer orkener,) (back to top)

	Map	Grid size	Area of map (sq. km).	date last extended
	Copenhagen	250 metres	365	27 July 2009
TOTAL DENMARK	TOTAL DENMARK		365

  Part IX - food desert maps of The Netherlands (Dutch – voedsel woestijn) (back to top)

	Map	Grid size	Area of map (sq. km).	date last extended
	Utrecht	250 metres	785	3 October 2010
TOTAL NETHERLANDS			785

Part IX - food desert maps of Belgium (French - deserts d' alimentaire, Dutch – voedsel woestijn) (back to top)

	Map	Grid size	Area of map (sq. km).	date last extended
	Brussels (centre +south, east)	250 metres	60	21 May 2009
TOTAL BELGIUM			60

Part X - food desert maps of Germany (German - Lebensmittelwuste) (back to top)

	Map	Grid size	Area of map (sq. km).	date last extended
	Wiesbaden/Mainz	500 metres	705	17 June 2008
TOTAL GERMANY			705

Part XI - food desert maps of France (French - deserts d' alimentaire) (back to top)

	Map	Grid size	Area of map (sq. km).	date last extended
	Paris (S W)	250 metres	29	7 August 2011
	Nantes	250 metres	671	15 July 2007
	Cevennes	500 metres	277	26 April 2006
TOTAL FRANCE			977

Global Total = 26,932 square kilometres

The area mapped is now bigger than Macedonia (25,713 km²) and almost as big as Rwanda (26,338 km²)

If you need an area mapped, or previously-mapped area updated, with precise locational data of small shops, supermarkets, markets, ethnic-minority-oriented shops and more, please contact Dr Hillary Shaw (contact details below).

Part XII –World Socio-Demographic Data Maps (back to top)

This section details global variations in a range of socio-demographic indicators of relevance to the social conditions underlying world retailing.

Crime and punishment

1) Death Penalty Map (map added 27 July 2010). Abolition of the death penalty within a national legal system is a sign of growing concern over, and recognition of, Human Rights in that country. Hence countries that have abolished the death penalty tend to be more liberal in many respects, with tolerance of many varied living arrangements and household types beyond the traditional nuclear family. If a country wants to join the European Union, it must also abolish the death penalty. Retailers and marketers have to take into account a wider range of consumer types, lifestyles, and consumption habits. Note, this map indicates the date on which the death penalty was officially abolished for all offences, including military and wartime. This date is often much later than the time when the death penalty cease to be used in practice by the courts.

2) Prisoners per 100,000 Population (map added 19 May 2011). Incarceration rates vary widely across the world, from under 50 per 100,000 in much of Africa to over 700 in the USA; the highest rate in the world, unless one takes into account the genocide-related prisoners in Rwanda, or the huge numbers of political prisoners in North Korea. The former Soviet Union countries tend to lock up a lot of people too.

Education

3) Male-Female Literacy Differential Map (map added 27 January 2010). This map indicates, not the overall level of literacy, but the gap between male and female literacy rates. A country where 55% of the men and 40% of the women can read scores the same, -15%, as a country where 85% of the men and 70% of the women are literate. Many countries cannot afford to educate, even to a basic level, all their citizens; however it is less clear why, in many countries, boys are consistently more privileged with a basic education than girls are. At a family level it may make financial sense to concentrate limited educational resources into the male children, as their potential earnings as men will be higher than for women. But nationally this impoverishes the country. Globally some 10% less women than men are literate; how many of these 350 million women, had they been given a basic education, would have gone on to produce great scientific or social innovations? Higher female literacy rates are usually associated with lower birth-rates, as these women have access to birth control and also can command higher work earnings. For retailers, a higher female literacy rate will likely mean an older, more educated, and more environmentally-conscious market, a shift from home cooking to prepared meals, smaller families, less children, and a higher % spend on luxury goods as the % household income going on essentials like food and shelter falls.

Health

4) Obesity Map (map added 9 May 2010). Excluding micro-states such as Nauru, the USA has one of the world’s highest obesity rates; in Europe the territory of former Yugoslavia tops the fat league. Worldwide, being American (north or south), or speaking English, appear as risk factors for obesity. This is likely due to the stronger pro-capitalist work ethic in these countries, promoting long office hours and both family partners working at the expense of time for home cooking; eating ready-meals is a well-known factor for obesity. Middle-income countries such as Turkey, Poland, and Brazil may be at risk because in these countries the population has begun to move away from agricultural self-sufficiency and home cooking into urban living and office work, but low incomes constrain many of these urban households to cheaper foodstuffs, which tend to be less healthy and obesogenic. That is why the Pacific island of Nauru (not shown on this map) has a high obesity rate, because it imports in large quantities the cheaper fatty cuts of meat from New Zealand that would not sell well to wealthier countries in Europe, also Nauru has been devastated by phosphate mining and there is little land fit to grow local fruit and vegetables. For retailers, obesity is a CSR ( corporate social responsibility) issue; both consumers and the government are likely to ;look badly on your business if you are imposing social health costs by selling obesogenic food. McDonalds is a good example of a global food retailer which has taken steps to improve the health image of its food.

Population growth

5) Fertility rate map (map added 9 May 2010). This map shows the fertility rate (the number of children a woman is expected to bear during her lifetime) for 1970 and 2005. The replacement rate is 2.1 (not 2.0, because some children will die before they reach adulthood). Worldwide, fertility has fallen markedly in almost all countries, excepting a few African states. Green shades indicate countries where the fertility rate is below 2.1. In 1970 only some European states had below-replacement fertility rates, but by 2005 North America, Europe, even much of Asia and some Caribbean islands, were below-replacement levels. Even without migration, the population will not fall straightaway in a below-replacement state because low birth rates often go with higher prosperity and economic activity, especially for women; in such states, life expectancy rises and the population does not fall, but becomes older, with serious implications for pensions with fewer workers and more OAPs. Eventually, though, the population will begin to fall as the oldies die off; this is where Japan is now (2010). In much of Western Europe, immigration is more than balancing any population drop due to low birth rates; this may change as migrant birth rates also fall, and political toleration of continued immigration wanes. In Western European countries that attract fewer migrants, such as Italy and Germany, the population is beginning to fall. Few migrants head for Eastern Europe, and here population levels are returning to 1970s levels, especially in Russia where low birth rates combine with a high mortality rate, largely due to alcoholism. China’s fertility rate has fallen markedly due to its ‘One Child’ policy; an undesirable side effect of this has been selective female infanticide, threatening a socially-destabilising surplus of young unmarried men; China is now relaxing this policy. For retailers, a low fertility rate is a mixed blessing; on the one hand it generally goes with increased prosperity and consumer spending power, but also reduces retailing opportunities for child-oriented goods, and means an older customer base that is less willing to try new goods and will die sooner than younger customers. On the other hand a high fertility rate means poorer customers and a less-developed retail and transport infrastructure. Perhaps best for retailers is a middle-fertility / middle income nation such as Turkey, Mexico, or Brazil, where there are plenty of young customers and a growing retail market, but the country has not yet developed a significant supermarket sector and competition for new foreign-entrant supermarkets is as yet limited.

6) Life expectancy Map (map added 19 May 2011). If you are reading this in the UK the chances are you are over 40 years old, as that is the median age for Great Britain now. At that age in Africa in 1950 you would probably have already died. Life expectancy has risen in all countries, but Sub-Saharan Africa has been sadly left behind. A lethal combination of war, famine, disease, drought and other natural disasters, along with poverty, have all reinforced each other to keep the undertakers busy. Then came AIDS. Because of AIDS, life expectancy in some African countries is actually falling. For retailers, advancing life expectancy is a sign of a prosperous country with growing spending power; the cloud to this silver lining is that an ageing population will probably increase the tax burden as governments, and also employers, struggle to pay pension bills. Or retailers may learn the many advantages of employing older people in their late 60s and 70s, or even beyond.

7) Population Growth Map (map added 27 January 2010). Between 1950 and 2009 the world population increased by a factor of 2.65, from 2,560 million to 6,800 million. There are enormous variations within this; come countries have seen their population increase by over 900%, whilst one territory, former East Germany, actually had a lower population in 2009 than it did in 1950, as did the US State of West Virginia. Globally, poorer countries have higher population growth rates, whilst population growth is lower both in wealthy countries and in formerly-prosperous industrial territories. Poorer countries often lack a State social security net for old age or sickness, and death rates are higher due to lower availability of medical care, so women have more children to ensure that at least some survive to look after the grandparents in their old age. Women’s earnings in poorer countries are often limited so having more children is less of a financial sacrifice. In wealthy countries, the State (or private pension schemes), not a multiplicity of younger family members, provides old age support, and women forego much more salary to have a child. In such prosperous lands, the birth-rate is often insufficient to maintain the population, which would be falling but for immigration from poorer regions. In formerly prosperous industrial regions, the birth-rate is low, and there is migration outwards, to wealthier places. For retailers, a high birth-rate may be attractive as it provides a growing market of long-term consumers; but it also tends to go with a lower disposable income per household. Middle-income countries like Poland, where there is opportunity for supermarket expansion and enough spending power to support new retailers, are perhaps the best bet for expansion abroad. In Western Europe the population growth is now almost all due to immigration, and retailers have had to take account of an increasingly diverse market in terms of food, annual holidays, clothes, Sharia-compliant finance, and many other products and services.

8) Urbanisation Map (map added 19 May 2011). By 2010 man had, statistically speaking, become an urban species; more than 50% of us now live in cities. Whereas in 1950 city living was quite rare in much of Africa and Asia, and even in Europe and N America most countries or States were more then half rural. Grocery retailers like urbanisation; as people move into cities they tend to become wealthier, grow less of their own food, and buy more non-food items too which the grocery supermarkets find more profitable.

9) GDP (per capita and national), 1960 and 2005, as % of USA (map added 19 May 2011). At a national level, the GDP of the USA stands head and shoulders above any other country – although at current growth rates, China may overtake the USA as the world’s largest national economy sometime in the 2020s. With its growing population India may even succeed in pushing the USA into 3^rd place sometime in the next century. Regarding GDP per capita it is a very different story; some small-but-affluent countries have already surpassed the USA, whilst China remains way behind. Meanwhile the benefits of globalisation appear to have passed most of Africa by; in relative terms it has actually fallen even further behind the USA since 1960. Any rise in African national GDP has been diluted in per capita terms by high population growth. Whereas rising population can boost GDP, it frequently has not done so in Africa, where war and economic disruption along with the ravages of AIDS has meant the mechanisms for translating more people into more jobs and more economic growth has not materialised in many Sub-Saharan countries. Another area that appears to have got poorer is the former Soviet Union states; GDP figures here pre-1990 are dubious, as they were calculated on a different basis from Western figures, and frequently manipulated for political ends. When Communism fell in 1990, the resultant economic disruption did indeed impoverish many ex-Soviet states. Of course this assumes that converting national GDPs at market currency exchange rates into US$, so as to facilitate a comparison with America, gives a true picture of average individuals wealth there. It often does not, because of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). Although globally traded goods should, by arbitrage, be of similar price worldwide (allowing for transport costs, which are usually relatively small, and allowing for tariff and non-tariff barriers), many goods in less-developed goods are non-tradeable across frontiers. If you want a haircut, or housing, in Nigeria you must buy Nigerian barbers services and rent accommodation in Nigeria. You cannot arbitrage and sell cheap Nigerian haircuts in London, where hairdressers charge more, because London land and rents and other costs are higher than in Lagos. So certain goods and services can remain at a lower price, as wages and other costs are lower, in poorer nations. This means your US$, converted into Nigerian currency, would buy a lot more than the exchange rate alone would suggest. Equally, although Danes may appear to have higher incomes in US$ terms than Americans do, the cost of living in Denmark is a lot more than the US$ - Danish Kroner exchange rate allows for. Also, these maps say nothing about the distribution of wealth within a country. The United Arab Emirates may look as if its citizens are almost as wealthy as US citizens; in fact a few UAE citizens are fabulously rich, whilst many others, especially long-term migrant workers there, remain poor.

Part XIII- Google Earth changes over time (back to top)

OK, this doesn’t have a lot to do with Food Deserts, but still interesting (15 Janauary 2012) 121 sites listed here – new user-friendly format – click here for the co-ordinates

Part XIV- related sites (back to top)

Useful web links (22 August 2009)

This website is owned and hosted by Shaw Food Solutions Ltd, registered in England no. 07406670

If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this site, please contact the Directors of Shaw Food Solutions Ltd,

Dr Hillary Shaw: hshaw@fooddeserts.org or hillshaw@aol.com

Dr Julia Shaw: jshaw@dmu.ac.uk