Why Is the Study of Food Environments Still Relevant

Bibliographic Data

ID22018451
AuthorsClaire Thompson (0000-0002-0864-9811, University of Hertfordshire), D Smith (0000-0002-0650-6606, University of Southampton)
Year2025
Volume10
Publication date2025-12-10
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueUrban Planning (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2183-7635 • E-ISSN: 2183-7635
PublisherCogitatio (PUBLISHER • PT)
DOI10.17645/up.11594
OpenAlexW7113899964
LanguageEN
References cited36

Food environments are the point of intersection where people engage with the food system. As such, they are a key consideration for food policy and governance in countries across the world. This collection of articles draws upon research conducted in a range of countries and predominantly, but not exclusively, urban settings. Research presented here expands on the way food environments have traditionally been explored in academic studies since the 1990s, introducing novel methodologies for assessment and incorporating the digital food environment, as well as food aid resources. Contemporary research must contend with the theoretical challenge of conceptualizing food environments in relation to wider social forces and changes. The more practical challenge is to inform improvements to neighbourhood food environments whilst avoiding the associated propensity to further perpetuate fragmented and short‐term responses to food inequalities

Corporate governance · Food policy · Food systems · Organic Food and Agriculture · Place Attachment and Urban Studies · Urban Agriculture and Sustainability