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 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 (27 July 2010)? Welcome
to Desertia City, see what sorts of places may be food deserts - do you live in one? Now with
images of food deserts – see pictures of food deserts in Desertia City!
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 (27 July 2010) Definition of obesity, obesity and
social factors, and the financial costs of obesity and poor diet
Obesity,
causes and medical effects (27 July 2010) the biology of obesity, and its
medical effects and links to disease
Obesity levels worldwide (non-UK) (27 July 2010)
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 - 187 food access - related articles listed here (27 July 2010) .....If you know of a publication that you would like to 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 (back to top)
UK supermarket sales and profits. (27 July 2010). Annual financial figures for UK retailers.
Non-Tesco - UK Supermarket timelines and
store numbers (27 July 2010). 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 (31
May 2010). 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 (27 July 2010)
Current trends
and issues in food retailing, for supermarkets (24
February 2009)
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 (27 July 2010)
Current trends in financial institutions, banks and Post Offices, as relating to small shops (24 February 2009)
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 (27 July 2010)
Countries from Asia, Africa, and the Americas
(27 July 2010)
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 |
|
||
|
2005 - 2006 |
1,036 |
130 N, 070 S, 480 E, 430 W |
|
|||
|
10) Brighton west & Chichester |
No data |
0 |
130 N, 080 S, 530 E, 480 W |
|
||
|
11) Brighton esat & 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 |
|
||
|
2006 - 2007 |
751 |
180 N, 130 S, 480 E, 430 W |
|
|||
|
17) London SW & Aldershot |
No data |
0 |
180 N, 130 S, 530 E, 480 W |
|
||
|
18) London SE & Maidstone |
No data |
0 |
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 |
No data |
0 |
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 |
|
||
|
2000 - 2005 |
187 |
230 N, 180 S, 530 E, 480 W |
|
|||
|
2000 - 2009 |
199 |
230 N, 180 S, 580 E, 530 W |
|
|||
|
28) Southend & Colchester |
No data |
0 |
230 N, 180 S, 630 E, 580 W |
|
||
|
29) Lampeter |
No data |
0 |
280 N, 230 S, 280 E, 230 W |
|
||
|
30) Builth Wells |
No data |
0 |
280 N, 230 S, 330 E, 280 W |
|
||
|
2010 |
93 |
280 N, 230 S, 380 E, 330 W |
|
|||
|
2003 - 2007 |
342 |
280 N, 230 S, 430 E, 380 W |
|
|||
|
33) Coventry & Northampton |
No data |
0 |
280 N, 230 S, 480 E, 430 W |
|
||
|
34) Bedford |
2005 |
19 |
280 N, 230 S, 530 E, 480 W |
|
||
|
35) Cambridge & Newmarket |
No data |
0 |
280 N, 230 S, 580 E, 530 W |
|
||
|
36) Ipswich |
No data |
0 |
280 N, 230 S, 660 E, 580 W |
|
||
|
37) Barmouth |
No data |
0 |
340 N, 280 S, 280 E, 210 W |
|
||
|
38) Welshpool |
No data |
0 |
330 N, 280 S, 330 E, 280 W |
|
||
|
2007 - 2010 |
1,977 |
330 N, 280 S, 380 E, 330 W |
|
|||
|
2000 - 2010 |
2,073 |
330 N, 280 S, 430 E, 380 W |
|
|||
|
41) Leicester |
2007 - 2010 |
644 |
330 N, 280 S, 480 E, 430 W |
|
||
|
42) Peterborough |
No data |
0 |
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 |
No data |
0 |
390 N, 330 S, 330 E, 280 W |
|
||
|
47) Chester & Crewe |
2007 - 2010 |
1,296 |
380 N, 330 S, 380 E, 330 W |
|
||
|
2007 - 2010 |
665 |
380 N, 330 S, 430 E, 380 W |
|
|||
|
49) Nottingham & Chesterfield |
No data |
0 |
380 N, 330 S, 480 E, 430 W |
|
||
|
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 |
|
||
|
2002 |
60 |
430 N, 380 S, 430 E, 380 W |
|
|||
|
2000 - 2004 |
233 |
430 N, 380 S, 480 E, 430 W |
|
|||
|
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 |
|
||
|
2002 |
316 |
480 N, 430 S, 430 E, 380 W |
|
|||
|
58) Leeds NE & York |
2002 |
109 |
480 N, 430 S, 480 E, 430 W |
|
||
|
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 |
|
||
|
1999 - 2008 |
104 |
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 |
-
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
Part VIII -
food desert maps of Denmark (Danish – fodevarer orkener,) (back to top)
|
365 |
||||
|
365 |
Part IX - food desert maps of Belgium (French - deserts d' alimentaire, Dutch – voedsel woestijn) (back to top)
|
60 |
||||
|
60 |
||||
Part X - food desert maps of Germany (German - Lebensmittelwuste) (back to top)
|
705 |
||||
|
705 |
Part XI - food desert maps of France (French - deserts d' alimentaire) (back to top)
|
671 |
||||
|
277 |
||||
|
948 |
Global Total
= 14,936
square kilometres
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.
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) 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.
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.
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.
5) 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.
Part XIII- related sites (back to top)
Useful web links
(22 August 2009)
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 Department, Harper Adams University College, Edgmond, nr. Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB, United Kingdom