Food Price Policy Research Articles

Monitoring the Cost and Affordability of a Healthy Diet within Countries: Building Systems in Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Viet Nam

BackgroundGovernments around the world collect food price data on a frequent basis, often monthly, for the purpose of monitoring inflation. These routine economic data can be used with a nutrition-sensitive lens for understanding economic access to a healthy diet. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has adopted the cost and affordability of a healthy diet (CoAHD) for annual tracking alongside other food security indicators. This indicator is relevant in many countries for informed decision-making and accountability toward Food Systems Summit pathways. National governments may wish to include this indicator in their own monitoring systems, using existing subnational price and income data. ObjectivesWe describe emerging systems in several countries for monitoring CoAHD and analytical tools that facilitate the calculation of CoAHD. We discuss reasons why the indicator may differ when calculated using subnational data compared with the global monitoring system and how to interpret differences. MethodsBetween June 2016 and February 2024, 19 workshops were held in 7 countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Viet Nam), where stakeholder discussions covered sources of food price data, institutions involved, policy uses, and direct training in calculation of CoAHD. Food price data collected by national organizations were used to calculate CoAHD in partnership with government agencies. ResultsCalculating CoAHD using subnational data uses the same methods across settings, but the mechanisms for monitoring and dissemination are different in each country, illustrating heterogeneity in how the metric can most effectively be incorporated within existing structures. Results from national and global monitoring systems have expected differences based on data sources, healthy diet standards, and affordability standards. ConclusionsCoAHD can be calculated with existing data and resources, facilitated by new software tools and user tutorials. In the future, it can be further streamlined, leveraging technical assistance from global institutions and aligning national and global monitoring systems.

Welfare effects from food price shocks and land constraints in Niger

Households in low-income and food insecure nations such as Niger are vulnerable to food price shocks as a large portion of their budgets are spent on calories derived from cereals and other staples. However, there is very weak understanding of the structure of food demand in many African nations making proactive food policy recommendations ineffective. This is particularly acute in West Africa where the paucity of quantitative expenditure and consumption information has forced some studies to borrow demand parameters from other low-income nations located in regions outside of Sub-Saharan Africa. We empirically estimate food demand elasticities as tools to conduct a short-run welfare analysis of price shocks and build upon the welfare impacts to assess long-run pressure on farmland and trajectories toward future availability and price scenarios. The welfare analysis finds that an increase in millet price reduces rural welfare while a sorghum price increase primarily reduces urban households’ welfare. Given population growth, acreage-driven millet and sorghum production growth, and the income elasticities for both staples, holding all else constant, any food price shock in the future will likely result in higher welfare losses for consumers. Taken together, food price policy should focus on millet to improve the welfare of rural and the poorest households in Niger. Facing a land frontier constraint reinforces calls for total factor productivity growth in millet and sorghum to reduce pressure on marginal land. Technological change in food production and the identification of import opportunities are required to relieve upward pressure on prices given current consumption patterns, trade, land frontier constraints, and the importance of these two crops in the national food system.

Food price inflation and policy responses in Latin America: an assessment of the causes and impacts on local food value chain

Food price inflation and policy responses in Latin America: an assessment of the causes and impacts on local food value chain

Putting a price on healthy eating: public perceptions of the need for further food pricing policies in the UK.

Understand factors that influence food choice and explore public perceptions of the need for government policies to improve diets in the UK, particularly food pricing interventions. A qualitative study design was used with semi-structured interviews. The study was carried out in Greater Manchester, England. In all, 15 participants from a diverse range of backgrounds were recruited. Food price, lack of time, availability, and food knowledge and culture were key factors that led some study participants towards unhealthy food choices. The UK's individual, willpower-focused approach to tackling obesity was deemed ineffective and many participants supported further government intervention. Product reformulation was supported as a less intrusive and less regressive way of improving diets than taxation. There was also support for increasing cooking classes within schools. Whilst the government ambition to half childhood obesity by 2030 is welcome, population level interventions that enable healthier food choices are needed to achieve this goal. Rising global food prices may make reformulation a more practical policy option than further pricing interventions. Mandatory reformulation of convenience meal and snack products and strengthening education in schools may represent a publicly acceptable and effective package of interventions within a comprehensive strategy to tackle obesity.

Assess the level and the determinants of household food security in Togo: The food expenditures approach

This paper assesses the level and the determinants of household food security in Togo using Unified Questionnaire on Basic Indicators of Well-Being. Data were analyzed using the Forster-Greer-Thorbecke estimation method and logistic regression. Results show that the incidence of food insecurity in Togo is 59%. This incidence is 67% in rural areas against 53% in urban areas. Being literate, household size, access to health services, proximity to the market and food price shock are the determinants of household food security status in Togo. Therefore, to effectively address the food security problem in Togo, food pricing and decent employment creation policies should be considered to improve household income. Family planning policies are also important to promote. All these policies must take into account the most vulnerable and marginalized groups such as the poor, rural residents and women.

Real-time monitoring of food price policy interventions during the first two years of COVID-19

COVID-19 has resulted in a shock to agrifood systems around the world, with the potential for low- and middle-income countries to be particularly affected. Although policy responses were more muted than during the 2007–2008 world food crisis, efforts to insulate from supply shocks and ensure local availability during COVID-19 have generally included export restrictions and import tariff reductions, among other responses. In an effort to enable rapid market monitoring and realignment, we develop a new indicator defined as a monthly nominal rate of protection “express” which seeks to indicate how policies enacted are affecting prices domestically in real-time in order to understand how they responded. This analysis examines changes to this indicator during the first two years of the pandemic in 24 low- and middle-income countries for the most-consumed staple cereals of the poor and food insecure. We show that gaps between domestic and international prices declined by a median of 20.3 percentage points compared to the same months in recent previous years. While policies were enacted to mitigate price increases that would have eventually been transmitted to poor consumers, other factors related to international demand and supply chain disruptions may also have contributed to the observed trend in the analyzed countries. Moreover, impacts on prices varied across countries and commodities, depending on region, net trade, and previous gap levels. Finally, this indicator can contribute to examining primary drivers of changes and conducting causal analysis to facilitate adequate agrifood policy responses to support economic recovery in the post-COVID-19 era.

Food Prices Policy: Relational Implementation of Fiqh Muamalah and Islamic Economics

There are fundamental differences between Islamic economics and Fiqh Mu‘āmalah, as well as the relationship between the two, according to Anas Zarqa and Monzer Khaf. However, according to Qadri Azizi, Islamic economics and Fiqh Mu‘āmalah are not different because there is no difference in terms of material objects. This study aims to understand the food price policy by the government as a relational implementation of Fiqh Mu‘āmalah and Islamic economics by analyzing the epistemology of Islamic economics between economics and Fiqh Mu‘āmalah, and also to understand the relation between Fiqh Mu‘āmalah and Islamic economics in food price policy by the government as a strategic study of the economy. This study is qualitative descriptive, using a content analysis tool and literature study. The results of this study are 1) There are fundamental differences between economics and Fiqh Mu‘āmalah in the epistemological aspect, which creates a scientific discipline that combines the two into Islamic Economics. 2) Fiqh Mu‘āmalah as a normative study sourced from the Alquran and hadith functions as a basis in economic cases through observation and description of phenomena. Therefore, without a touch of values and sharia norms, economics remains value-free. In terms of food price policy, factors such as economic conditions, consumer behavior, and policy implications will be a reference in normative-strategic studies for Islamic economists to sort out and determine rules that are more relevant and have greater maṣlaḥah.

The fish paradox: people with low socio-economic status are not consuming the right type of fish

Abstract Background Fish intake is included in several national food-based dietary guidelines as a component of healthy diet because of its rich source of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). However, heterogeneity among types of fish intake is rarely studied. We investigated the associations of socio-economic status (SES) with total and types of fish intake and validated whether types of fish intake was associated with plasma EPA and DHA. Methods From the Lifelines cohort study, 94 246 participants aged 44 ± 13 years old were included to test the association of two SES indicators, i.e., education level and income level, with dietary intakes of total, fatty, lean, fried, and other types of fish. Plasma EPA and DHA were measured in a minor subset of 575 participants (mean age: 50 ± 13 years old). Total and types of fish intake was assessed using Food Frequency Questionnaire. Linear regressions were applied, adjusted for relevant covariates. Results After adjusting for covariates, middle and low education were negatively associated with total, fatty, lean, and other fish intake (p < 0.001 for all), and positively associated with fried fish intake (β (SE): 0.04 (0.04), p < 0.001 for middle education; 0.07 (0.04), p < 0.001 for high education), with high education as the reference group. Similar results were observed for income level. In the subset population, total and fatty fish were positively associated with plasma EPA and DHA (p < 0.02 for all). Lean and other fish intake were positively associated with only DHA (p < 0.008 for all), but not EPA, while fried fish was not associated with either EPA or DHA in plasma (p > 0.1 for all). Conclusions Lower SES was associated with higher intake of fried fish, which did not seem to be associated with the fish-based EPA and DHA in plasma. Both nutrition education and food price policy could be implemented to increase the awareness and shape people's choice on types of fish. Key messages • People with low socio-economic status are consuming the type of fish that is not associated with fish-based omega-3 fatty acids, so nutrition education focusing on avoidance of fried fish is needed. • Food subsidy programs promoting intake and increasing affordability of healthier fish are needed to improve the nutritional awareness and status of our population.

Incorporação da classificação NOVA na produção científica em alimentação e nutrição na América Latina: uma revisão cienciométrica

In 2009, a food classification was proposed, called NOVA classification. Latin American countries have stood out in their use in nutritional recommendations and regulatory agenda. Objective. To evaluate how scientific production in food and nutrition in Latin America has incorporated the NOVA classification. Materials and methods. The analysis of scientific production was carried out from annals at the Latin American Congress of Nutrition (SLAN) in 2012, 2015 and 2018. The terms used for the search were: NOVA, ultra-processed, processed, processing and food guide, in Portuguese, English and Spanish. After the search, the exclusion and inclusion criteria were applied and the selected abstracts were described according to previously defined analytical variables. Results. A total of 153 were analyzed, 24 of which were published in 2012, 20 in 2015 and 109 in 2018. Most studies were carried out in Brazil (56,2%), followed by Mexico (12,4%) and involved adolescents (28,8%), adults (21,6%) and food (19,6%) as subject or unit of analysis. Most of the works were classified in the area of Public Health Nutrition (88,9%), were observational (82,3%) and used a quantitative method (76,5%). The sale and/or consumption of food (46,4%) and the food environment (24,2%) were the most common objects of study. Conclusion. The scientific production that considers the NOVA classification in Latin America increased in 2018, with Brazil and Mexico leading the development of studies. Studies that explore the relationship of NOVA classification to food price, culinary skills and public policy analysis are research opportunities.

Impact of food price increases on poverty in Indonesia: empirical evidence from cross-sectional data

PurposeUsing cross-sectional household survey data, this paper aims to determine the impact of food price increases on poverty in Indonesia.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses the quadratic almost ideal demand system applied to the 2013 Indonesian household survey data. The impact of food price increase on household welfare is calculated using a welfare measure, compensating variation.FindingsThree food groups with the most outstanding price impact on poverty, rice, vegetables and fish, were studied. The 20% increase in the price of each food group causes an increase in the headcount ratio by 1.360 points (rice), 0.737 points (vegetables) and 0.636 points (fish). Maintaining food price stability for these food groups is very important because the more the price increases, the more the impact on poverty. Food price policies in rural areas are also more critical than in urban areas because the impact of food price increases in rural areas is higher.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper does not consider the positive impact of rising food prices on food-producing households.Practical implicationsImplementing appropriate poverty alleviation policies through food policies for main food groups and social protection.Social implicationsPromoting rural development policies and agricultural growth.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical results regarding the impact of domestic food prices increase on poverty in Indonesia.

Urban physical food environments drive dietary behaviours in Ghana and Kenya: A photovoice study.

We identified factors in the physical food environment that influence dietary behaviours among low-income dwellers in three African cities (Nairobi, Accra, Ho). We used Photovoice with 142 males/females (≥13 years). In the neighbourhood environment, poor hygiene, environmental sanitation, food contamination and adulteration were key concerns. Economic access was perceived as a major barrier to accessing nutritionally safe and healthy foods. Home gardening supplemented household nutritional needs, particularly in Nairobi. Policies to enhance food safety in neighbourhood environments are required. Home gardening, food pricing policies and social protection schemes could reduce financial barriers to safe and healthy diets.

Directions of securing and regulating the food security of the Black Sea region

The paper suggests the measures stimulating the interregional cooperation in the Black Sea region by expanding the scope of intra-industrial and cooperation ties to effectively use the agro-industrial capacity of the state to ensure food security. The main purpose of the regional mechanism of increasing the food security level should be to establish stable regional food production and distribution chains by ensuring efficient use of the agro-industrial capacity of the region and increasing the purchasing power of the population to ensure access to quality food. The paper suggests: 1. State regulation of food security of the region in the international food trade to be carried out in the following areas: ensuring the protection of economic interests of agricultural and food producers through a set of customs and non-tariff measures in accordance with Ukraine's international obligations; development of import substitution measures to guarantee the food independence of the region. 2. State regulation of food security of the region in the economic domain to be carried out on the basis of: implementation of the financial and lending policy of support for producers of agricultural products and foodstuffs; development of the regional food market with improved logistics and infrastructure support and establishment of interregional trade relations; implementation of food pricing policy and control over its implementation. 3. State regulation of food security of the region in the social domain to be carried out on the basis of: ensuring the availability of quality and sufficient food for every inhabitant of the region; increasing the level of effective demand for food by raising living standards; monitoring the quality and safety of food; ensuring the state food reserve to ensure the stability of food supply and regulation of supply and demand. 4. State regulation of food security of the region in interaction with the scientific and educational sphere to be carried out on the basis of: economic support for the development of innovations in the agro-industrial complex of the region; stimulating the introduction of innovative scientific and technical developments by producers of agricultural products and food products; ensuring an increase in the level of education of participants in the agro-industrial complex.

“Nutritional Habits and Factors Affecting Food Consumption Patterns among Urban Dwellings in Cairo - Egypt”

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a major determinant of health in high-income countries(HICs) and low and middle-income countries(LMICs)[1-4]. Contrary to HICs, only a few studies have documented the social patterning of diet in LMICs.[1-5] The current study was conducted aiming to investigate the nutritional habits of urban households and the effect of the increase in food prices on consumption patterns; in addition to their response and coping methods. Methodology: Cross – sectional community based descriptive study was used. Demographic data were described. A simple random sample of 400 adults, 264 males & 136 females aged between (20-50 years old) living in Cairo; were included through a period of 4 months. Results: Food consumption between the years 2015& 2017 within all food items (P<0.0001) showed statistically significant difference. The parents’ education and occupation had a significantly positive effect on the dietary habits of their families. Conclusion: There is a trend in recent time of world food price increase and changing of consumption pattern especially in emerging developing economies. Therefore, this study recommends applying food price policies to reduce the effects of food price fluctuation. In addition to raising awareness about healthy nutritional habits.

Reducing US Cancer Burden and Disparities Through National and Targeted Food Price Policies (P04-101-19)

ObjectivesDisparities in cancer among low-income Americans in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are well documented. While policies to alter food prices (taxes, subsidies) have demonstrated success at changing dietary intakes, the effectiveness of these policies on reducing cancer burdens and disparities has not been quantified. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of population strategies on reducing US cancer burdens and disparities through national or targeted food price policies. MethodsA Comparative Risk Assessment (CRA) model was used to assess the effectiveness of 9 different potential policies for reducing cancer burden and disparity among US adults in 2015. These included (1) 5 policies with varying levels (10%, 30%) of subsidies on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, with and without 10% taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats for the general US population, (2) a targeted 30% subsidy in SNAP, and (3) combinations of the general policies and targeted SNAP policy. Data inputs included national demographic and dietary data on the US adult population and SNAP participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009–2014, cancer incidence from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER), and policy effects and diet-cancer effects from meta-analyses. Cancer disparities were quantified as the difference in cancer incidence between SNAP participants and higher-income individuals. Uncertainty in each parameter was jointly incorporated using probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) with 1000 simulations. ResultsAll policies reduced cancer burdens, with between ∼5 to 40 new cases per million adults prevented annually (Figure 1). The national 30% subsidy +10% tax produced largest overall benefits, averting an estimated 6875 new cancer cases (28 cases per million US adults) per year. The 10% national tax +30% SNAP-targeted food subsidies produced the largest reduction in cancer disparities (14 more cases averted per million among SNAP vs. higher-income individuals) (Figure 2). ConclusionsAll national food price policies meaningfully reduced cancer burdens, while SNAP-targeted food price policies, alone or in combination with national policies, reduced cancer disparities. Funding SourcesThis study was supported by NIH/NIMHD. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs▪

Health-Promoting Food Pricing Policies and Decision-Making in Very Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Stores in Australia.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in remote communities in Australia experience a disproportionate burden of diet-related chronic disease. This occurs in an environment where the cost of store-purchased food is high and cash incomes are low, factors that affect both food insecurity and health outcomes. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storeowners and the retailers who work with them implement local policies with the aim of improving food affordability and health outcomes. This paper describes health-promoting food pricing policies, their alignment with evidence, and the decision-making processes entailed in their development in community stores across very remote Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of retailers and health professionals identified through the snowball method, September 2015 to October 2016. Data were complemented through review of documents describing food pricing policies. A content analysis of the types and design of policies was undertaken, while the decision-making process was considered through a deductive, thematic analysis. Fifteen retailers and 32 health professionals providing services to stores participated. Subsidies and subsidy/price increase combinations dominated. Magnitude of price changes ranged from 5% to 25% on fruit, vegetables, bottled water, artificially sweetened and sugar sweetened carbonated beverages, and broadly used ‘healthy/essential’ and ‘unhealthy’ food classifications. Feasibility and sustainability were considered during policy development. Greater consideration of acceptability, importance, effectiveness and unintended consequences of policies guided by evidence were deemed important, as were increased involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storeowners and nutritionists in policy development. A range of locally developed health-promoting food pricing policies exist and partially align with research-evidence. The decision-making processes identified offer an opportunity to incorporate evidence, based on consideration of the local context.

Healthy, affordable and climate-friendly diets in India

Abstract India has among the highest lost years of life from micronutrient deficiencies. We investigate what dietary shifts would eliminate protein, iron, zinc and Vitamin A deficiencies within households’ food budgets and whether these shifts would be compatible with mitigating climate change. This analysis uses the National Sample Survey (2011–12) of consumption expenditure to calculate calorie, protein and the above micronutrient intake deficiencies and relate them to diets, income and location. We show that more than two-thirds of Indians consume insufficient micronutrients, particularly iron and Vitamin A, and to a lesser extent zinc. A greater proportion of urban households than rural households are deficient at all income levels and for all nutrients, with few exceptions. Deficiencies reduce with increasing income. Using constrained optimization, we find that households could overcome these nutrient deficiencies within their food budgets by diversifying their diets, particularly towards coarse cereals, pulses, and leafy vegetables, and away from rice. These dietary changes could reduce India’s agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 25%. Current agricultural and food pricing policies may disincentivize these dietary shifts, particularly among the poor.

Pricing Strategies to Encourage Availability, Purchase, and Consumption of Healthy Foods and Beverages: A Systematic Review.

IntroductionFood pricing policies to promote healthy diets, such as taxes, price manipulations, and food subsidies, have been tested in different settings. However, little consensus exists about the effect of these policies on the availability of healthy and unhealthy foods, on what foods consumers buy, or on the impact of food purchases on consumer health outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of studies of the effect of food-pricing interventions on retail sales and on consumer purchasing and consumption of healthy foods and beverages.MethodsWe used MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the Cochrane Library to conduct a systematic search for peer-reviewed articles related to studies of food pricing policies. We selected articles that were published in English from January 2000 through December 2016 on the following types of studies: 1) real-world experimental studies (randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, and natural experiments); 2) population studies of people or retail stores in middle-income and high-income countries; 3) pricing interventions alone or in combination with other strategies (price promotions, coupons, taxes, or cash-back rebates), excluding studies of vending-machine or online sales; and 4) outcomes studies at the retail (stocking, sales) and consumer (purchasing, consumption) levels. We selected 65 articles representing 30 studies for review.ResultsSixteen pricing intervention studies that sought to improve access to healthy food and beverage options reported increased stocking and sales of promoted food items. Most studies (n = 23) reported improvement in the purchasing and consumption of healthy foods or beverages or decreased purchasing and consumption of unhealthy foods or beverages. Most studies assessed promotions of fresh fruits and vegetables (n = 20); however, these foods may be hard to source, have high perishability, and raise concerns about safety and handling. Few of the pricing studies we reviewed discouraged purchasing and consumption of unhealthy foods (n = 6). Many studies we reviewed had limitations, including lack of formative research, process evaluation, or psychosocial and health assessments of the intervention’s impact; short intervention duration; or no assessment of food substitutions or the effects of pricing interventions on food purchasing and diets.ConclusionPricing interventions generally increased stocking, sales, purchasing, and consumption of promoted foods and beverages. Additional studies are needed to differentiate the potential impact of selected pricing strategies and policies over others.

The Walfare of Local Farmers, Rice Price Policy, and Distribution Process in Improving Food

Food security is an integrated food economy system consisting of various subsystems (Suryana, 2003). Food security contains at least two basic elements, namely the availability of adequate food and the accessibility of the community to adequate food, where both elements are absolutely fulfilled in order to achieve the health and welfare of society. This paper presents a review of grain price policy and distribution access in analyzing the welfare of local farmers and their impact on food security in Tanggulangin, Indonesia. This research uses descriptive method approach. Using interview with source from food security departement. The results of the analysis indicate that the food welfare factors do not have a significant effect on food security in the surplus food sub-district. While access factor and also policy of food price policy give significant influence to food security and welfare of farmers in subdistrict with surplus of food in 2014. The result of this study are important to see the developtment food security in surplus food security areas.

The political economy of food price policy during the global food price crisis of 2006-2008

This paper finds support for seven political economy hypotheses that influenced governments’ policy choices during the 2006–2008 global food price crisis. Governments focused most heavily on consumer and trade policies rather than on policies designed to increase production. They also preferred policy changes with lower implementation costs, implying that responses to past crises were the best predictor of future actions. To explain the variety of responses and policy failures, a framework is proposed that locates policies along the twin dimensions of unitary vs. fragmented decision-making processes and social welfare maximizing vs. self-interested policy goals. Many of the common policy responses can be explained by a benchmark model of unitary decision makers seeking to increase social welfare. In contrast, fragmented government decision-making, uncertainty, and self-interest generate policy and implementation failures, significant departures from the benchmark model, and reductions in social welfare. Mistrust between government and the private sector causes a lack of transparency, which fuels mistrust and uncertainty, leading to additional policy and implementation failures.

Obesity and government.

Despite much effort, obesity prevalence and disease severity continues to worsen. The purpose of this review is to describe the leading government supported food and nutrition interventions and policies to prevent and address obesity in the USA. The review also summarizes obesity interventions and policies that the government plays a role in, but further development is warranted. The government's role in obesity has largely focused on interventions and policies such as national surveillance, obesity education and awareness, grant-based food subsidy programs, zoning for food access, school-based nutrition programs, dietary guidelines, nutrition labeling, and food marketing and pricing policies. The government has played a lesser role in obesity interventions and policies that provide access to evidence-based obesity care to people affected by the disease. Given the magnitude of the obesity epidemic, the government should explore multiple evidence-based interventions and policies across prevention and clinical care.