What fills the gaps in food deserts? Mapping independent groceries, food stamp card utilization and chain fast-food restaurants in the Chicago area

Abstract

Recent research has identified the existence of “food deserts” in many urban (and rural) areas, characterized by a lack of access to chain supermarkets. With few exceptions, these studies have focused on chains rather than independent supermarkets. The Northeastern Illinois Community Food Security Assessment is a GIS and survey based study of food access in the six-county Chicago metropolitan area. Preliminary results indicate that poor and minority areas are less likely to have full-line chain supermarkets, but it does not necessarily follow that all of these communities have poor food access since many Hispanic and other ethnic communities have many stores that cater to their cuisines. More interestingly, food stamp card allocation and redemption data indicate that most poor African–American areas have much higher levels of allocation than redemption. Surrounding areas have higher redemption than allocation levels, indicating that residents are spending their food stamp money at stores in these surrounding neighborhoods. This food stamp usage data set is compared to the mix of stores in the particular neighborhoods in question. Further analysis looks at the pattern of chain fast-food restaurants in the Chicago area. While national chains are not absent from most ‘food deserts,’ as with supermarkets, many of these areas are served more by local chains and independents.