Welfare regime and inter-household food provision: The case of Cyprus

Abstract

There are three main aims of this paper. The first is to identify the role, if any, of the family in the provision of food between households. Second, the paper addresses the paradox of food at home in Cyprus appearing to be less shared than takeaway food. Third, the paper attempts to answer the question as to why older households spend more per person on food at home than younger households. These three aims are approached through the perspective of the literature on welfare regimes. The empirical part of the paper is based on qualitative research using purposive sampling to select cases. The findings are that the family is important in inter-household food provision/consumption, and that this explains both the paradox of food at home being less shared than takeaways and the relatively high expenditure of older households on home-prepared food. There is both familiocracy and de-commodification in food in Cyprus.