Food security, remoteness and consolidation of supermarket distribution centres: factors contributing to food pricing inequalities across Queensland, Australia

Lila Singh-Peterson; Scott Lieske; Noni Keys; Steven J R Underhill

doi:10.1080/00049182.2015.1093700

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Food security, remoteness and consolidation of supermarket distribution centres: factors contributing to food pricing inequalities across Queensland, Australia

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Food security, remoteness and consolidation of supermarket distribution centres: factors contributing to food pricing inequalities across Queensland, Australia

Lila Singh-Peterson, Scott Lieske, Noni Keys and Steven J R Underhill

Australian Geographer, Vol.47(1), pp.89-102

2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00049182.2015.1093700

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Abstract

food supply chain

food security

food miles

food distribution

econometric spatial analysis

distribution centre consolidation

There is a clear association between food prices, affordability and issues of food security. Australian food supply chains have lengthened in recent years in response to consolidation policies of the dominant supermarkets, which have reduced the number of distribution centres in order to maximise economic efficiencies. This study presents a spatial analysis of a healthy food basket survey undertaken across Queensland, Australia in order to identify the primary determinants of food pricing. Ambiguity in the academic literature on this subject is largely due to limitations of the utilised methods. Our results indicate that food price variability is directly related to the type of store surveyed, and the distance of the surveyed store to the supermarket distribution centres in Brisbane, or urban centres on the east coast of Australia. Population size of towns and the level of social disadvantage observed in communities were indirect determinants of food prices. Therefore, in order to lessen the disadvantage already encountered by communities located in outer regional and remote areas who pay increasingly more for food than their urban counterparts, policy interventions need to move beyond subsiding food costs and consider the relationship between fuel prices and the lengthening of dominant food supply chains, in addition to the capacity of local supply chains.

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Title: Food security, remoteness and consolidation of supermarket distribution centres: factors contributing to food pricing inequalities across Queensland, Australia
Authors: Lila Singh-Peterson (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts, Business and Law
Scott Lieske (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts, Business and Law
Noni Keys (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts, Business and Law
Steven J R Underhill (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Publication details: Australian Geographer, Vol.47(1), pp.89-102
Publisher: Routledge
Date published: 2016
DOI: 10.1080/00049182.2015.1093700
ISSN: 0004-9182
Organisation Unit: Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; School of Tertiary Access - Legacy; School of Education and Tertiary Access; School of Social Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Sustainability Research Cluster
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449380202621
Output Type: Journal article

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