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Food insecurity, food waste, food behaviours and cooking confidence of UK citizens at the start of the COVID-19 lockdown

Beth Armstrong (Department of Geography, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK)
Christian Reynolds (Centre for Food Policy, City University of London, London, UK)
Carla Adriano Martins (Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK)
Angelina Frankowska (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK) (Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York, UK)
Renata Bertazzi Levy (Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil)
Fernanda Rauber (Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil)
Hibbah A. Osei-Kwasi (Department of Geography, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK)
Marcelo Vega (School of Civil and Institute of Applied Mechanics and Structures, National University of Rosario, Rosario, Argentina)
Gustavo Cediel (University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia)
Ximena Schmidt (Equitable Development and Resilience Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Design and Physical Science, Brunel University, London, UK)
Alana Kluczkovski (Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK)
Robert Akparibo (School of Health and Related Research, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK)
Carolyn L. Auma (School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK)
Margaret Anne A. Defeyter (Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK)
Jacqueline Tereza da Silva (School of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Gemma Bridge (Research Fellow, Queen Mary University London, London, UK)

British Food Journal

ISSN: 0007-070X

Article publication date: 8 September 2021

Issue publication date: 30 September 2021

1789

Abstract

Purpose

The current pilot study explored food insecurity, food waste, food related behaviours and cooking confidence of UK consumers following the COVID-19 lockdown.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 473 UK-based consumers (63% female) in March 2020. A cross-sectional online survey measured variables including food insecurity prevalence, self-reported food waste, food management behaviours, confidence and frequency of use of a range of cooking methods, type of food eaten (ultra-processed, semi-finished, unprocessed) and packaging type foods are purchased in.

Findings

39% of participants have experienced some food insecurity in the last 12 months. Being younger, having a greater BMI and living in a smaller household were associated with food insecurity. Green leaves, carrots, potatoes and sliced bread are the most wasted of purchased foods. Polenta, green leaves and white rice are the most wasted cooked foods. Food secure participants reported wasting a smaller percentage of purchased and cooked foods compared to food insecure participants. Overall, participants were most confident about boiling, microwaving and stir-frying and least confident with using a pressure cooker or sous vide. Food secure participants were more confident with boiling, stir-frying, grilling and roasting than insecure food participants.

Practical implications

This has implications for post lockdown policy, including food policies and guidance for public-facing communications.

Originality/value

We identified novel differences in self-report food waste behaviours and cooking confidence between the food secure and insecure consumers and observed demographics associated with food insecurity.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work was funded by STFC Food Network+ pilot funding (ST/P003079/1), and STFC 21st Century challenge funding (ST/T001410/1) “Piloting Zooniverse for food, health and sustainability citizen science”.

Christian Reynolds was supported by the HEFCE Catalyst‐funded N8 AgriFood Resilience Programme and matched funding from the N8 group of Universities. Additional funding was provided by Research England via the project “Food based citizen science in the UK as a policy tool”.

Ximena Schmidt was supported through Brunel University London internal Research England GCRF QR Fund.

Citation

Armstrong, B., Reynolds, C., Martins, C.A., Frankowska, A., Levy, R.B., Rauber, F., Osei-Kwasi, H.A., Vega, M., Cediel, G., Schmidt, X., Kluczkovski, A., Akparibo, R., Auma, C.L., Defeyter, M.A.A., Tereza da Silva, J. and Bridge, G. (2021), "Food insecurity, food waste, food behaviours and cooking confidence of UK citizens at the start of the COVID-19 lockdown", British Food Journal, Vol. 123 No. 9, pp. 2959-2978. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-10-2020-0917

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

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