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This paper shows that food price inflation varies across rural, urban, and metro counties in the United States. To quantify this disparity, we calculate food price indices using retail scanner data. Our indices suggest that between 2006 and 2020, rural areas had an overall higher food price inflation compared to urban and metro regions, with food price inflation averaging 0.7 percent lower in urban areas and 1.6 percent lower in metro areas. Additionally, we examine shifts in these disparities during key periods. We find that during the Great Recession, these differences were negligible, but in the post-Great Recession years, urban and metro areas consistently had lower food price inflation. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to a shift, with both urban and metro areas experiencing higher food price inflation, surpassing rural regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Currently, food price inflation is a widespread issue in Bangladesh as well as the rest of the world. Malnutrition is a common issue among children that can have long-lasting effects on their development and overall health. There have been lots of studies conducted to identify the factors responsible for child malnutrition, but inflation is rarely considered a factor in child malnutrition. We aimed to determine the relationship between food price inflation and stunting (Height-for-Age Z-score (HAZ)) in children under five years of age in Bangladesh. Method The study utilized food price data from the World Food Programme database and malnutrition (stunting) information from the 2014 and 2017-18 Bangladesh Demographic Health Surveys (BDHS). This includes the total study period from 2009 to 2018. Food prices were linked to the BDHS dataset using each child’s birth month. For each child, the average food prices from 9 months prior to 5 months post-birth, including their birth month, were recorded to calculate month-to-month inflation. This inflation was computed for rice (coarse), oil, wheat flour, and lentils by comparing the price sum of each item from one month to the previous month and dividing by the total price of the preceding month. A generalized linear regression model was used to assess the relationship between food price inflation and stunting, with stunting as the dependent variable. Other explanatory variables included wealth index, sex of the child, height, weight, mother’s education, respondent’s current pregnancy, and breastfeeding status. Results Our study has revealed that food price inflation has a significant negative effect on stunting, with a coefficient of -0.127 (p

This paper analyzes the relationship between food and oil prices in Nigeria before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, using monthly data from January 2018 to December 2021. The ARDL and NARDL models are applied to estimate the symmetry and asymmetric relationship that exists in food price behavior. The NARDL confirms the presence of asymmetries, and the bound test affirms the co-integration and long-run relationship among the variables. In the long run, there is a significant positive relation between oil price increases and food prices, but the long-run impact of oil price reductions on food prices is not significant. In the short run, only increases in oil prices exert a significant influence on food prices, while decreases in oil prices do not. Furthermore, the COVID-19 period exerts a positive and significant impact on food prices, while COVID-19 cases do not influence food prices in Nigeria.

Background: Currently, food price inflation is a widespread issue in Bangladesh as well as the rest of the world. Malnutrition is a common issue among children that can have long-lasting effects on their development and overall health. There have been lots of studies conducted to identify the factors responsible for child malnutrition, but inflation is rarely considered a factor in child malnutrition. We aimed to determine the relationship between food price inflation and stunting (Height-for-Age Z-score (HAZ)) in children under five years of age in Bangladesh. Method: The study utilized food price data from the World Food Programme database and malnutrition (stunting) information from the 2014 and 2017-18 Bangladesh Demographic Health Surveys (BDHS). This includes the total study period from 2009 to 2018. Food prices were linked to the BDHS dataset using each child's birth month. For each child, the average food prices from 9 months prior to 5 months post-birth, including their birth month, were recorded to calculate month-to-month inflation. This inflation was computed for rice (coarse), oil, wheat flour, and lentils by comparing the price sum of each item from one month to the previous month and dividing by the total price of the preceding month. A generalized linear regression model was used to assess the relationship between food price inflation and stunting, with stunting as the dependent variable. Other explanatory variables included wealth index, sex of the child, height, weight, mother's education, respondent's current pregnancy, and breastfeeding status. Results: Our study has revealed that food price inflation has a significant negative effect on stunting, with a coefficient of -0.127 (p < 0.001). Furthermore, we have identified several other factors that have also significantly negative associations with stunting, including the wealth index (p < 0.001), mother's education level (p < 0.001), mother's pregnancy status (p < 0.001), breastfeeding (p < 0.001), child's age (p < 0.001). child's weight (p < 0.001) has significantly positive effect on stunting. However, we did not find any significant differences in stunting between boys and girls. Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings of this study underscore the significant negative impact of food price inflation on child stunting, emphasizing the need to acknowledge this factor alongside others. These results highlight the critical role of addressing food price inflation as a key determinant of stunting, in conjunction with various other contributing factors, in efforts to combat childhood malnutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in Applied Economics Letters, investigates the impact of weather risks on food prices in the continental US. The study uses a time-varying Granger causality test and a unique extreme weather risk index called the Actuaries Climate Index (ACI). The results indicate that weather disruptions, such as drought and heat, can lead to increases in food prices. The article provides detailed information on the dataset, research methodology, and empirical findings. The findings have implications for traders, investors, and policymakers, emphasizing the importance of diversifying food exports to mitigate the negative effects of weather risks. Additionally, the article includes supplementary materials on data descriptions and descriptive statistics of the variables used in the analysis. [Extracted from the article]

New Zealand (NZ) specific research assessing price changes of accessible lower-cost foods which also meet healthy eating guidelines for children is sparse. We aimed to develop an Excel™ tool to retrospectively assess weekly costs of commonly purchased lower-cost foods for children and households from 2018, and update in close to real-time. Lower-cost foods from the monthly reports from StatsNZ were grouped into food baskets that met eating guidelines, nutrient and energy requirements by age and sex. Repeated iterations created healthy food baskets from 62 lower-cost foods, prices were tracked, and costs for households and individuals were compared to household income. For a household of two adults and two children of fixed age (7y female, 14y male), substantial (27%) increases in the price of the food basket were recorded between 2021 and 2023. When the nutritional requirements of children as they age were considered, there was a 54% ($5,663) increase in the low-cost healthy food basket price of $16,083/year in 2023 compared to $10,420/year in 2018 when the female was 2y and male 9y. The continual increase in food prices contributes to substantial financial shortfalls for households receiving government support and the potential food insecurity many face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite sustained nutrition education, consumption of animal source foods (ASFs) has been hindered by their low availability, accessibility and affordability. Drying eggs into powder can reduce transport/storage costs, increase shelf‐life and allow easier dosage for use of smaller portions. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of integrating egg powder to the nutrient adequacy and affordability of diets. Using the 'cost of the diet' analysis, we simulated the incorporation of egg powder into households' and children's diet and evaluated its contribution to the nutrient adequacy and affordability of diets. Analysis of the household consumption and expenditure survey (HCES 2016) revealed that only 0.2% of the total consumption expenditure was allocated for eggs, far below the 2.2% and 4.3% required to allow the consumption of one egg a day by the average and the poorest households, respectively. However, the minimum‐cost nutritious diet required only 2.5 g of egg powder/person/day to reduce the cost of the optimized diet by 14% (0–24%), allowing an additional 1.2 million households (~4–6 million individuals) afford the optimized diet. The optimized diet for a child 6–23 months of age could be afforded by all households, except by those in the poorest wealth quintile. But, free distribution of egg powder to households in the poorest wealth quintile, if supplemented by effective nutrition education, can allow them to afford the minimum‐cost nutritious diet for their 6‐ to 23‐month child. The simple dehydration of egg into egg powder can have a substantial contribution towards increased egg consumption by increasing the affordability of the minimum‐cost nutritious diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background In Africa, approx. 675 million people were at risk of food insecurity. COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have exacerbated this situation, by damaging populations’ access to and affordability of foods. This study is aimed at estimating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on availability and prices of essential food commodities at 20 large markets in Ghana. Methods Data on food availability and food retail prices collected through weekly market-level data during the period from July 2017 to September 2020 were used in this study. We performed interrupted time-series analyses and estimated the percentage increases between the observed and predicted food prices by food group and by region to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food prices. Results As a result, the impact of COVID-19 on food availability was limited. However, the results of interrupted time-series analyses indicate a significant increase in overall mean food prices in Greater Accra, Eastern and Upper East regions. It was also found that mean price of starchy roots, tubers and plantains significantly increased across regions. Discussion The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food availability and prices was significant but varied by food type and regions in Ghana. Continuous monitoring and responses are critical to maintain food availability and affordability.

Background: In Africa, approx. 675 million people were at risk of food insecurity. COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have exacerbated this situation, by damaging populations' access to and affordability of foods. This study is aimed at estimating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on availability and prices of essential food commodities at 20 large markets in Ghana. Methods: Data on food availability and food retail prices collected through weekly market-level data during the period from July 2017 to September 2020 were used in this study. We performed interrupted time-series analyses and estimated the percentage increases between the observed and predicted food prices by food group and by region to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food prices. Results: As a result, the impact of COVID-19 on food availability was limited. However, the results of interrupted time-series analyses indicate a significant increase in overall mean food prices in Greater Accra, Eastern and Upper East regions. It was also found that mean price of starchy roots, tubers and plantains significantly increased across regions. Discussion: The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food availability and prices was significant but varied by food type and regions in Ghana. Continuous monitoring and responses are critical to maintain food availability and affordability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to examine how consumers' consumption behaviors change in response to food supply chain disruptions and food security crisis during COVID-19. A new conceptual framework of consumer food stress and food consumption paradigms for crises is proposed based on the pillars of food security. This study also investigates the mediating effects of food prices and food stress on the proposed framework between pillars of food security and consumption behavior. A range of quantitative techniques was adopted for collecting the data during the COVID-19, with the sample of Bangladeshi consumers (n = 1150) generating a precise measurement. The study applied PLS-SEM (partial least squares-structural equation modeling) to predict food consumption behavior model and expose relevant relationships between all the constructs. Findings reveal that food access, food quality and safety, and food pricing directly impact consumer food stress and consumption behavior. Also, consumers' consumption behavior is ultimately influenced by food stress. However, food availability has no significant influence on food stress. This research is one of the few empirical studies exploring a range of food security variables that helps explain why consumers are so anxious about food during COVID-19. This study discussed theoretical and practical implications that help food producers, suppliers, marketers, and policymakers maintain a stable food supply chain management and manage food crises during national emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The responsibility and vulnerability of challenges in planetary health are unequally distributed across countries. In Brazil, meat carries an important cultural value even if from an environmental perspective its production is related to negative impacts. We explored Brazilian meat consumption over time, according to income groups from the perspective of the food inequalities and food justice and we analyzed its impacts on the environment. We used data from the 2008 and 2017 Household Budget Surveys to estimate meat intake and meat prices according to income level. The environmental impact indicators were based on the WWF Report. We analyzed the relationship between income, meat price, and its consumption by linear regression model. Brazilian meat intake was 86 g/1000 kcal in 2008, which is considered high intake and Brazilians increased meat intake by 12% from 2008 to 2017, with variations according to types of meat and income levels. Individuals of the lowest income stratum did not increase their meat consumption, and they spent around 17 times more of their income to buy one kilogram of beef compared to people from the highest income group. There was a significant positive relationship between purchasing power and intake of meat across income groups. In 2017, meat contributed to 86% of the Brazilian diet's carbon footprint. In Brazil, relevant factors for meat intake may be associated with restricted purchasing power, food affordability, rising prices and income inequalities. Our findings indicate the relevance not only of food availability and intake but also the local variables such as socio-economic inequalities and cultural meanings food can assume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐income households and minority communities in the US are considered highly vulnerable to diet‐and nutrition‐related adverse health effects. Households' food‐related decisions may entail real or perceived tradeoffs among price, preference, access and availability, and other factors. We use a sample of low‐income households, mostly from African American communities, from the Nashville metropolitan area of Tennessee to assess fruit and vegetable purchasing behavior. We found that the vast majority of household shops for fruits and vegetables (F&Vs) less than two to three times per month. Using probit and nested logit models, we analyzed purchase decisions and investigated reasons and factors determining "not to buy" F&Vs by low‐income households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is crucial to ensure healthy diets are affordable in low socioeconomic groups, such as welfare-dependent households, who experience higher rates of diet-related disease than others. This study assessed the cost of habitual (unhealthy) and recommended (healthy) diets in six welfare-dependent and six other, comparable Australian households, using either popular branded products or the cheapest available alternatives. It also assessed diet affordability in welfare-dependent households, before and after modest increases in government welfare payments introduced in early September 2023. Results confirmed that recommended diets were less expensive than habitual diets in all households unless the cheapest available products were included. This strategy reduced habitual diet costs by 35–37% and recommended diet costs by 30–32%. The lower cost differential could aid perceptions that healthy foods are more expensive than unhealthy foods. In April 2023, 23–37% of the income of welfare-dependent households with children was required to purchase recommended diets; this reduced only to 20–35% in September 2023. Hence, the increases in welfare payments were insufficient to meaningfully improve the affordability of healthy diets in the most vulnerable Australians. In the current cost-of-living crisis, there is an urgent need for more welfare support to help purchase healthy diets. Monitoring of diet cost and affordability is also required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Despite sustained nutrition education, consumption of animal source foods (ASFs) has been hindered by their low availability, accessibility and affordability. Drying eggs into powder can reduce transport/storage costs, increase shelf‐life and allow easier dosage for use of smaller portions. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of integrating egg powder to the nutrient adequacy and affordability of diets. Using the ‘cost of the diet’ analysis, we simulated the incorporation of egg powder into households' and children's diet and evaluated its contribution to the nutrient adequacy and affordability of diets. Analysis of the household consumption and expenditure survey (HCES 2016) revealed that only 0.2% of the total consumption expenditure was allocated for eggs, far below the 2.2% and 4.3% required to allow the consumption of one egg a day by the average and the poorest households, respectively. However, the minimum‐cost nutritious diet required only 2.5 g of egg powder/person/day to reduce the cost of the optimized diet by 14% (0–24%), allowing an additional 1.2 million households (~4–6 million individuals) afford the optimized diet. The optimized diet for a child 6–23 months of age could be afforded by all households, except by those in the poorest wealth quintile. But, free distribution of egg powder to households in the poorest wealth quintile, if supplemented by effective nutrition education, can allow them to afford the minimum‐cost nutritious diet for their 6‐ to 23‐month child. The simple dehydration of egg into egg powder can have a substantial contribution towards increased egg consumption by increasing the affordability of the minimum‐cost nutritious diet.

Nutrition outcomes (undernutrition, overweight, and obesity) among women are growing concerns across the globe. Currently, the rate of undernutrition and overweight among women in Nigeria is ranked among the highest in Africa. A major contributory factor reported is unstable food prices in the country. This study, therefore, examined the effects of food prices on nutrition outcomes among women in Nigeria. Secondary datasets retrieved from two different sources were used for this study. Cross‐sectional data on weight and height for women were obtained from Nigeria Health Demographic Survey (NHDS). Data on monthly prices of the selected food items were obtained from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The data were categorized into energy dense (yam tuber, garri, rice, and maize) and nutrient dense (egg, beef, and chicken). Multinomial logit regression was used to estimate the relationship between the prices of energy and nutrient‐dense food prices concerning respondents' personal and environmental characteristics such as age, wealth status, and region; as well as the three nutrition outcomes for women (undernutrition, overnutrition, and obesity). This study revealed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity among women was 19.9% and 10.3%, respectively. Nutrition outcomes (obesity and overweight) were positively correlated with the price of energy‐dense food with 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively. Nutrient‐dense food price is negatively correlated with undernutrition with a probability of 0.1%. The study recommends that food policy instruments such as food prices and subsidies can be introduced to favor the consumption of healthier food to stem the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food price forecasts in the agricultural sector have always been a vital matter to a wide variety of market participants. In this work, we approach this forecast problem for the weekly wholesale food price index in the Chinese market during a 10-year period of January 1, 2010–January 3, 2020. To facilitate the analysis, we propose the use of the nonlinear auto-regressive neural network. Technically, we investigate forecast performance, based upon the relative root mean square error (RRMSE) as the evaluation metrics, corresponding to one hundred and twenty settings that cover different algorithms for model estimations, numbers of hidden neurons and delays, and ratios for splitting the data. Our experimental result suggests the construction of the neural network with three delays and 10 hidden neurons, which is trained through the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm, as the forecast model. It leads to high accuracy and stabilities with the RRMSEs of 1.93% for the training phase, 2.16% for the validation phase, and 1.95% for the testing phase. Comparisons of forecast accuracy between the proposed model and some other machine learning models, as well as traditional time-series econometric models, suggest that our proposed model leads to statistically significant better performance. Our results could benefit different forecast users, such as policymakers and various market participants, in policy analysis and market assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThe lack of access to a diverse and nutritious diet has significant health consequences worldwide. Governments have employed various policy mechanisms to ensure access, but their success varies.MethodIn this study, the impact of changes in food assistance policy on food prices and nutrient security in different provinces of Iran, a sanctioned country, was investigated using statistical and econometric models.ResultsBoth the old and new policies were broad in scope, providing subsidized food or cash payments to the entire population. However, the implementation of these policies led to an increase in the market price of food items, resulting in a decline in the intake of essential nutrients. Particularly, the policy that shifted food assistance from commodity subsidies to direct cash payments reduced the price sensitivity of consumers. Consequently, the intake of key nutrients such as Vitamin C and Vitamin A, which are often constrained by their high prices, decreased. To improve the diets of marginalized populations, it is more effective to target subsidies towards specific nutrient groups and disadvantaged populations, with a particular focus on food groups that provide essential nutrients like Vitamin A and Vitamin C in rural areas of Iran.DiscussionMore targeted food assistance policies, tailored to the specific context of each province and income level, are more likely to yield positive nutritional outcomes with minimal impact on food prices.

The main objective of this paper is to investigate the interaction between oil and food prices using threshold cointegration analysis. The study uses monthly data from January 1997 to September 2020. Empirical results reveal evidence of asymmetry in the adjustment process toward equilibrium. Uni-directional causality is detected between the variables, with oil prices causing changes in food prices. Additionally, oil prices are found to be cointegrated with food prices, suggesting the presence of an asymmetric adjustment mechanism. Specifically, the speed of adjustment to equilibrium varies depending on the sign of the last equilibrium error. The study recommends that policymakers should consider adopting measures that promote energy diversification, sustainable agricultural practices, and price stabilization mechanisms to mitigate the impact of oil price fluctuations on food prices and to enhance overall economic stability.

The main objective of this article is to explain the possible mechanism between food prices and the economic transition status difference between Indonesia and South Korea. Moreover, the article also discusses the possible source of success in lowering food prices in the two economies. The two-goods consumption model for two economies is used to relate the relative economic transition status and food prices. The model and the historical data show a similar pattern: the economic transition is diverging between the two economies while the food prices are relatively getting more expensive in Indonesia. The possible sources of lower food prices are discussed.

Abstract Objective: The aim of this project is to review the products and recipes contained within popular subscription meal kits to determine if they are suitable for wider use among people who are food insecure. Design: Across the 6-week period, weekly meal kits from both HelloFresh and Markey Spoon were purchased, resulting in thirty-six individual meals that were prepared and assessed. Meals were assessed based on the content included in the meal kit compared with the recipe card and the nutrition panel, the costs of the individual foods if purchased at one of two major supermarkets and the ease of preparation. Setting: Australia. Participants: Households were comprised of two, 2-person households who were provided with 2 meals each week, and two, single-person households who were provided with one meal each week. Results: The findings of this research suggest that while the meal kits are convenient and, in general, the recipes are easy to follow, and the meals would be made again, the high levels of salt and fat may preclude these kits from regular inclusion in a healthy diet. The meal kits were also found to be more costly than the same ingredients if purchased from a major supermarket. However, the convenience of having most of the foods needed to prepare a full meal with little to no wastage may counterbalance this cost. Conclusions: Meal kits may be a useful component of a healthy diet, that can increase meals prepared and consumed in the home, and thanks to the clear instructions and pre-portioned ingredients, may reduce stress related to food preparation.

AbstractThe rise in food prices in Turkey in the post-Covid 19 period is extremely higher than the increase in the consumer price index and the social dimension of food price. This issue prompted researchers and policy makers to examine these topics. The fact that negativities which have been observed worldwide in an emerging process are making a difference also reinforces the need for more intensive investigation of food prices or policies to be followed. This trend aims to identify the global and macroeconomic factors that cause the rise in food prices in the Turkish economy. According to this purpose, In order to measure the global impact, oil prices, the global fertilizer price index, and the world food price index were included in the study. The M2 exchange rate and money supply variables were used to measure the macroeconomic impact. In this context, monthly data for the period 2003:01–2022:03 were used in the analysis using the SVAR model. Result of the analysis indicated that global and macroeconomic factors had an impact on food prices in the period under consideration. As a result of the variance decomposition, it was observed that the food price after its own collisions was more reactive with the exchange rate, respectively.

AbstractBeing the main food commodity, the dynamics of rice prices is one of the most important issues for Indonesian economy. The prices at the retail level and at the farm level are influenced not only by the demand and supply in each of these markets but also by price behavior at the wholesale market. This study aims to analyse the dynamics of the relationship and behaviour of the prices of various varieties and qualities of rice in the wholesale market. The dynamics of rice prices are investigated by employing multivariate vector error correction model (VECM) and using daily price series at wholesale level during the period of 1 October 2014 until 12 February 2018. The results show a strong price relationship between premium-quality rice and medium-quality rice and between medium-quality rice and low-quality rice. Changes in the price of premium-quality rice and changes in the price of low-quality rice will have a large influence on the price of medium quality rice, but not vice versa. Furthermore, regarding the price stabilization policy, the results suggested that the policies aimed at regulating medium-quality rice prices are estimated to have relatively weak effects on the prices of premium-quality rice and low-quality rice.

This study examines the effects of gasoline prices, fluctuations in the actual exchange rate, and food prices on the export of vegetables and fruits from Turkey. In this study, the Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) approach was utilized to examine the factors influencing the exports of vegetables and fruits from 2003:1 to 2019:12. The analysis was conducted with the assumption that the relationships between gasoline, actual exchange rates, and food prices are nonlinear. The objective of the study was to ascertain the asymmetric effects of gasoline, real exchange rate, and food prices on the exportation of vegetables and fruits. The findings of the NARDL model suggest that there is a significant relationship between long-term fluctuations in gasoline prices and the export of fruits and vegetables of different magnitudes. On the other hand, it has been observed that vegetable exports experience linear effects over an extended period in relation to the real exchange rate. On the other hand, it has been observed that fruit exports are susceptible to asymmetric effects. The present study suggests that fluctuations in food prices have diverse effects on vegetable exports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo provide scientific guidance for consumers to choose nutritious and cheap foods， the association between street food prices and nutritional value in Wuhan was analyzed.MethodsOne gourmet street was randomly selected from Jianghan， Jiang’an and Wuchang District of Wuhan City， respectively. Fifty two kinds of street foods of 6 types （barbecue， frying， steaming， baking， beverage and cold food） were selected， and the prices were recorded. After analyzing the nutrient components through standard testing in laboratory and using nutrition calculators， energy prices and the average price of nutrient-rich food （NRF6.3） index was calculated. The correlation between unit price and NRF6.3 index was analyzed by Spearman rank sum test.ResultsBaked food had the highest energy density， reaching 308.41 kcal/100 g， while beverages had the lowest energy density， reaching 79.35 kcal/100 g（P0.05）.ConclusionThe overall price of street food in Wuhan is relatively high with high energy density， while the price of NRF6.3 index is low. This results suggest that， for the same price， the recommended nutrient content of street food is not high， and the nutritional value is low， which does not meet the requirements of a healthy diet.

Background Global challenges of hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition persist, with nearly one in three people lacking sufficient food access. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues, particularly in Africa, where 59.6% of the population grapples with food insecurity. Malawi faces high stunting and anaemia rates in children, driven by poverty, inadequate health services, and improper diet. Despite progress, the prevalence remains above regional averages. Research reveals imbalanced diets in Malawi, primarily reliant on maize, risking micronutrient deficiencies. This study examines diet affordability in the context of rising costs and low incomes, aiming to influence policy in addressing undernutrition in Malawi and highlighting the overlooked role of affordability in nutrition access. Objectives This assessment aimed to estimate the minimum cost of a nutritious diet using locally available and culturally acceptable food items in Malawi. The objective was to explore how economic constraints affect Malawian households, particularly the poor and ultra-poor, in accessing such diets. Additionally, it sought answers to questions about cost changes over 12 months and affordability among different wealth groups in the country. Methods This study involved secondary data analysis by employing the Cost of the Diet (CotD) research method and software. The World Food Programme’s Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) provided monthly food prices for 28 items from April 2021 to March 2022. Comparing the cost of a nutritious diet with per capita income from the Malawi Poverty Report, we estimated the affordability gap. Food price data was from 77 markets in 25 districts, ensuring national representation. Results The annual cost of a culturally acceptable nutritious diet for a five-person household from April 2021 to March 2022 was MWK 84,658/month (≈$103). The diet’s cost increased by 25% during the period, from MWK 2,519 to MWK 3,140 per day. Only average urban households had sufficient income to afford the diet, with a 9.7% surplus. Ultra-poor, poor, rural, and average Malawian households faced affordability gaps of 139.5%, 61.4%, 48.5%, and 32%, respectively. Closing the affordability gap would require additional monthly income of 29,134 kwacha (≈$35.5) for an average Malawian household, 37,481 kwacha for a typical rural household, 42,452 kwacha for a poor household, and 58,885 kwacha for an ultra-poor household. Conclusion The CotD assessment revealed a significant increase in the cost of a nutritious diet over the past 12 months. Most of the population cannot afford the cheapest nutritious diet. The recent currency devaluation may worsen the situation. Cash, voucher or food distribution could help close the affordability gap for poor and ultra-poor households. Regular monitoring and ongoing updates of the CotD results are necessary for informed decision-making.

Achieving the goal of zero hunger within the goal of sustainable development requires improving the resilience of food systems to various types of risk shocks; food systems have shown significant vulnerability to COVID-19 outbreaks and transmission. By analyzing the impact of China's lockdown policy and food security emergency policy in 2020 on food prices during the COVID-19 pandemic, we can clarify the role of policy intervention in enhancing the resilience of the food system, which can provide guidance, using China's experience, for dealing with global food safety emergencies in the future. Firstly, we selected Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong as food-consuming areas, and Shandong, Henan, and Hubei as food-producing areas. We also collected food security emergency policy data from the Chinese government website during the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, a difference-in-difference method was used to observe that Chinese cabbage and pork prices in the main food-producing areas and food-consuming areas rose more obviously after the adoption of lockdown policy, and Chinese cabbage and pork prices in the food-consuming areas increased more obviously than those in food-producing areas. However, staple food prices have not risen significantly. Thirdly, the response of four kinds of food prices to the food security emergency policy is analyzed quantitatively and graphically using the food price volatility index and food price increase rate; we observed that the response of food prices to the food security emergency policy is related to the food types and regions. For food types, the fluctuation degree and increase in Chinese cabbage and pork prices decreased significantly after the adoption of the food security emergency policy. For regions, when the food security emergency policy was adopted, the food prices in the main food-consuming areas fluctuated more obviously than those in food-producing areas. Finally, we found that the implementation of the transport policy and the joint supply emergency policy in the main producing and consuming areas has played a very significant and positive role in stabilizing food prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened human lives and caused an unprecedented impact on the global economy, notably on the global food system. COVID-19 itself and its policy response have severely affected food prices. This paper analyzes the short-term and long-term impacts of COVID-19 cases and policy responses (government response index (GRI), economic support index (ESI), stringency index (SI)) on food prices (Chinese cabbage price (CP), pork price (PP), flour price (FP), rice price (RP)) in China's major food producing areas and major food selling areas through the autoregressive distribution lag error correction (ARDL-ECM) method and graphical analysis. as the purpose is to provide evidence for food security policy regulation to stabilize food prices and improve the food system's ability to withstand similar emergencies in the future. This study finds that the short-term impact of COVID-19 policy responses on food prices is larger, while the long-term impact is smaller. The impacts of COVID-19 itself and COVID-19 policy responses on food prices vary by food type and food production and consumption region. For food type, the Chinese cabbage price was most affected by the COVID-19 policy response, followed by pork, and the staple food prices (flour price and rice price) were least affected. For regions, the Chinese cabbage price in food producing areas was more influenced by COVID-19 and the pork price in food selling areas was more influenced by COVID-19. For the single indexes, GRI and SI had uneven effects on different food prices. However, ESI had a significant positive impact on the Chinese cabbage price (CP) and pork price(PP), except in Guangdong and Hubei. Staple food prices were almost unaffected by COVID-19 confirmed cases and policy responses. Then, taking the Chinese cabbage price in Beijing, Shandong, and Hubei as an example, we find that "dynamic clearance" influenced the Chinese cabbage price in the short term, and Chinese cabbage price increased largely in the first stage. Finally, the reasons behind the research results of this paper are analyzed, and scientific suggestions are put forward for the implementation of food supply policies to ensure food price stability and food security in the face of similar pandemics in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this project is to review the products and recipes contained within popular subscription meal kits to determine if they are suitable for wider use among people who are food insecure. Design: Across the 6-week period, weekly meal kits from both HelloFresh and Markey Spoon were purchased, resulting in thirty-six individual meals that were prepared and assessed. Meals were assessed based on the content included in the meal kit compared with the recipe card and the nutrition panel, the costs of the individual foods if purchased at one of two major supermarkets and the ease of preparation. Setting: Australia. Participants: Households were comprised of two, 2-person households who were provided with 2 meals each week, and two, single-person households who were provided with one meal each week. Results: The findings of this research suggest that while the meal kits are convenient and, in general, the recipes are easy to follow, and the meals would be made again, the high levels of salt and fat may preclude these kits from regular inclusion in a healthy diet. The meal kits were also found to be more costly than the same ingredients if purchased from a major supermarket. However, the convenience of having most of the foods needed to prepare a full meal with little to no wastage may counterbalance this cost. Conclusions: Meal kits may be a useful component of a healthy diet, that can increase meals prepared and consumed in the home, and thanks to the clear instructions and pre-portioned ingredients, may reduce stress related to food preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this article is to explain the possible mechanism between food prices and the economic transition status difference between Indonesia and South Korea. Moreover, the article also discusses the possible source of success in lowering food prices in the two economies. The twogoods consumption model for two economies is used to relate the relative economic transition status and food prices. The model and the historical data show a similar pattern: the economic transition is diverging between the two economies while the food prices are relatively getting more expensive in Indonesia. The possible sources of lower food prices are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The continued price increase in food commodities has long been a concern to academia and policymakers because of its substantial impact on poor consumers. Existing literature has concentrated on the cost of micronutrient-dense and starchy staple foods and the price rise in different commodities. Yet, the long-term price growth of micronutrient-dense and starchy staple foods and the price growth gap between micronutrient-dense foods and starchy staple foods have not been given much attention. The paper aimed to estimate the long-term trends in prices and volatility of micronutrient-dense and starchy staples and identify factors that have sustained the growth in prices of food commodities in developing countries. We have used the autoregressive and panel autoregressive distributed lag models to analyse the trends in relative prices and the effects of income growth. The results showed that micronutrient-dense food prices in real terms grew on average by 0.03% per month more than starchy staple food prices, with the expectation of a 12% growth gap in the next 30 years. The volatility of micronutrient-dense food items exceeds starchy staple foods in most domestic markets. Also, the prices of micronutrient-dense foods were more volatile in international markets than in most developing countries. Income growth in developing countries was one of the factors that contributed to the declining relative price of micronutrient-dense food commodities. Other factors, such as the high production of staple foods and their price stabilization policies, may have caused price trends to persist. Policies that enhance price stabilization for micronutrient-dense foods, supplementation, fortification, dietary diversity, and nutrition-sensitive interventions such as biofortification may be adopted in developing countries.

Food prices in Africa respond in familiar ways to changes in the global environment, but there are a number of unique characteristics that have to be accounted for in understanding how these prices play out in domestic markets. African countries are price takers in global agricultural commodity markets, and face high farm gate to consumer costs, which are a major driver of food price inflation. Furthermore, the uncertainty that accompanies poor policy formulation and implementation distorts markets and results in the skewing of investment to mitigate the negative impacts of policy uncertainty rather than to build future opportunities. Finally, the high levels of poverty as well as of inequality distort consumer markets, which are fragmented by these extremes, and which compete with informal markets and with own consumption. In this paper, we address the role that these factors play in understanding trends in food prices across a spectrum of commodities in Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Zambia. These characteristics make it difficult to find relevant and timely data to help understand what is really going on in the real world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has had serious implications for food security around the world. The Russian-Ukrainian military conflict led to another surge in food prices. Central Asia, despite its diverse levels of economic development, has undoubtedly experienced a tangible shock from the food crisis of recent years. Food inflation in the region has many aspects to it. It was initially determined by global food price trends and the depreciation of national currencies during the pandemic period. Several national factors affected the local food situation: a series of adverse weather conditions, the different fiscal consequences of pandemic, and national strategic policies in support of agri-food exports. The countries of the region used all regulatory measures to protect their markets - export restrictions and export quotas, import subsidies and VAT zeroing, as well as subsidies for production and support to consumers. The forecasts for food prices in the region in 2023/2024 are not optimistic: prices will remain relatively high, and future changes largely depend on the still volatile geopolitical situation. The impact of COVID-19 may have long-term consequences for Central Asia. Over the coming 10-20 years, the development of agriculture in the region will be dictated by the need to address the growing threats of resource shortages (thereby ensuring that urgent needs can still be met during a crisis situation), the modernisation of the currently prevalent models of food systems, and growing problems relating to biosafety and nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food prices in the EU have risen dramatically in 2022 and the first half of 2023. The drivers of this increase originated in energy cost increases, aggravated by the effects of drought and animal disease outbreaks, but high global market prices in part due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine after February 2022 also helped to pull food prices higher and may have facilitated some element of profit-led inflation. Households have responded by buying less and trading down, with an increasing number turning to food banks to help make ends meet. Some limited steps were taken at EU level to help protect consumers from the effects of higher prices, but the important interventions have been at Member State level. These measures have primarily been focused on energy prices, but several Member States in addition directly tackled food price inflation either by lowering VAT rates on food products, by introducing temporary price controls on a basket of basic food products, or by providing food vouchers. Given the lags in price transmission along the food chain, food prices are likely to remain high for several more months. Lower energy and commodity prices, together with higher interest rates, should be reflected in lower food prices in the second half of 2023, in the absence of further adverse shocks to the food system, but food prices will not return to pre-war levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educated consumer food choices not only enhance personal health but can also contribute to environmental, economic, and social well-being, as well as food sustainability. This exploratory study examines Canadian consumers' perceptions of sustainable and innovative food, along with their sources of information. It uses nationwide survey data and statistical tests (chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis tests) to test differences between different demographic groups. Results show that consumers refer mostly to the ecological aspect of food sustainability in their perceptions and food-buying behavior. Web-based information was a widely consulted source of information about food-related sustainability and innovation, although it ranked low among consumers in terms of trust level. The most trusted sources of information about food sustainability and innovation were mainly institutional—medical professionals and university scientists. Survey results also demonstrate that perceptions of sustainability and trust in sources of information varied in different socio-demographic segments. The current insights can be used to guide policymakers in making informed guidelines and recommendations to inform Canadian consumers about sustainable food-consumption practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal-derived food is a major source of protein for urban households in Indonesia. Rise in animal-derived food prices reduces consumption, causing households to consume less food than the recommended amount which can lead to serious health deficiencies that has serious implications for health and well-being in the long-run. The effects of rising prices of animal-derived protein source on urban households' welfare is examined in this study. The Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System model is used to analyze household consumption patterns, while the welfare effects of rising prices is measured using compensating and equivalent variation. The data for this study came from the 2021 National Socio-Economic Survey (Susenas), which included 112,569 households. Price elasticity of demand reveals that fish was the most responsive to changes in price while eggs were the least. Based on income elasticity of demand, all animal-derived sources of protein were found to be luxurious except for eggs which were found to be a normal good. The welfare exercise found that increase in prices resulted in approximately Rp. 23,262 per month in welfare loss when there is no substitution. However, when there is substitution, welfare loss as measured by CV was Rp. 22,308 and EV was Rp. 21,052 per month. Urban households were found to experience the most welfare loss from price increase of eggs but the least from fish. It was also found that when urban households are able to substitute when prices increase, the welfare impact is smaller than when they are not able to do so. Hence, policy aimed at diversifying urban households' consumption patterns when it comes to protein consumption is suggested as a means of attaining protein food and nutrition security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is crucial to ensure healthy diets are affordable in low socioeconomic groups, such as welfare-dependent households, who experience higher rates of diet-related disease than others. This study assessed the cost of habitual (unhealthy) and recommended (healthy) diets in six welfare-dependent and six other, comparable Australian households, using either popular branded products or the cheapest available alternatives. It also assessed diet affordability in welfare-dependent households, before and after modest increases in government welfare payments introduced in early September 2023. Results confirmed that recommended diets were less expensive than habitual diets in all households unless the cheapest available products were included. This strategy reduced habitual diet costs by 35–37% and recommended diet costs by 30–32%. The lower cost differential could aid perceptions that healthy foods are more expensive than unhealthy foods. In April 2023, 23–37% of the income of welfare-dependent households with children was required to purchase recommended diets; this reduced only to 20–35% in September 2023. Hence, the increases in welfare payments were insufficient to meaningfully improve the affordability of healthy diets in the most vulnerable Australians. In the current cost-of-living crisis, there is an urgent need for more welfare support to help purchase healthy diets. Monitoring of diet cost and affordability is also required.

The purpose of this paper is to find the impact of food price volatility on the welfare of urban households of Pakistan. Food price volatility in monthly prices of major food commodities for main cities of Pakistan is calculated through standard deviation method. Moreover, the study adopts the methodology provided by Alkire and Foster 2007, and Alkire and Santos 2010 to develop Household Deprived Welfare Index (DWI) for major cities of Pakistan. Following Deaton 1985 the study uses pseudo panel approach. Fixed Effect technique is applied to estimate the impact of volatility on household welfare. The results generated from pseudo panel fixed effect technique depicts that food price volatility has significant and negative impact on household welfare. This study lengthens the literature by identifying the impact of food price volatility on household welfare at city level in Pakistan, using four waves of PSLM/HIES data 2007-08, 2011-12, 2013-14 and 2014-15.This type of micro-level research has not been conducted (nationally or internationally) so far; therefore, it would help the policy makers to implement policies to combat the effect of volatile prices and develop programs for the welfare of severely affected areas.

Abstract Objectives: To assess the cost, cost differential and affordability of current and recommended (healthy, equitable, culturally acceptable and more sustainable) diets in the Torres Strait Islands and compare with other Queensland locations. Methods: The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healthy Diets ASAP (Australian Standardised Affordability and Pricing) methods protocol was applied in five randomly selected communities in the Torres Strait Islands. Results: The current diet was 32% more expensive than that recommended; ‘discretionary’ foods comprised 64% of the current diet cost. Families could save at least A$281.38 a fortnight by switching to recommended diets. However, these cost 35‐40% more than elsewhere in Queensland. Recommended diets would cost 35% of median and 48% of welfare household income in the Torres Straits. Conclusions: While less expensive than the current diet, recommended diets are unaffordable for most households. Consequently, many Torres Strait Islander families are at high risk of food insecurity and diet‐related disease. Implications for public health: Urgent policy action is required to further lower the relative price of recommended diets, and also increase household incomes and welfare supplements to equitably improve food security and diet‐related health, and contribute to environmental sustainability in the Torres Strait Islands.

The aim of this work was to assess the feasibility and effect of applying a nationally representative and highly disaggregated food costing measure across Canada, through the novel application of web-scraping technology to the methods of the National Nutritious Food Basket (NNFB). Further, this study tested the hypothesis that a product-matched digital NNFB (dNNFB) correlates with existing market basket measures and quantified any differences in costs. This was an observational cross-sectional study using web scraped food price data collected in November 2021. Food price data was collected from the majority of Loblaw’s banners across Canada, resulting in a final store sample of 751 stores sourced from 11 retail banners. Stores were located across all five Statistics Canada regions, including all provinces and territories with the exception of Nunavut. Store-level dNNFB costs were computed, adjusted by age-sex group, and summarized by geographic region and banner. dNNFB costs were then compared with existing national statistics office estimates (Market Basket Measure thresholds for reference families). dNNFB costs varied widely across the country, with notable differences by regional, store-level, and age-sex group characteristics. When compared to reported national statistics, our estimates exceeded the national market basket measure in every comparison in corresponding sub-national geography across the country, with correlation varying from 0.49 to 0.78 dependent on summary comparator. Digital collection of food price data was a feasible strategy for market basket costing. Our findings suggest we may be routinely underestimating the impact of food inflation for consumers, particularly those restricted to certain food environments.

Trends in global food prices and the price of poultry products An increasing trend in food prices has become the primary global social and economic concern in the previous few decades as it makes the cost of basic household food more expensive for resource-poor households. Keywords: food price; food security; poultry; poverty; smallholder EN food price food security poultry poverty smallholder 17 25 9 03/15/23 20230201 NES 230201 Implications A global increase in food prices severely affects the real incomes and food and nutritional security of resource-poor rural and peri-urban households in the developing world. During a surge in food prices, smallholder poultry production plays a significant role in poverty reduction by improving resource-poor households' income and enhancing household food security through nutrient-rich animal source foods (ASFs) consumption. [Extracted from the article]

Food-based dietary guidelines promote consumption of a variety of nutritious foods for optimal health and prevention of chronic disease. However, adherence to these guidelines is challenging because of high food costs. The present study aimed to determine the nutrient density of foods relative to cost in South Africa, with the aim to identify foods within food groups with the best nutritional value per cost. A checklist of 116 food items was developed to record the type, unit, brand and cost of foods. Food prices were obtained from the websites of three national supermarkets and the average cost per 100 g edible portion was used to calculate cost per 100 kcal (418 kJ) for each food item. Nutrient content of the food items was obtained from the South African Food Composition Tables. Nutrient density was calculated using the Nutrient Rich Food (NRF9.3) Index. Nutrient density relative to cost was calculated as NRF9.3/price per 100 kcal. Vegetables and fruits had the highest NRF9.3 score and cost per 100 kcal. Overall, pulses had the highest nutritional value per cost. Fortified maizemeal porridge and bread had the best nutritional value per cost within the starchy food group. Foods with the least nutritional value per cost were fats, oils, foods high in fat and sugar, and foods and drinks high in sugar. Analysis of nutrient density and cost of foods can be used to develop tools to guide low-income consumers to make healthier food choices by identifying foods with the best nutritional value per cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]