Academic Journal
The Distribution and Functions of Food Support Organisations in Scotland and their Implications for Policy
| Title: | The Distribution and Functions of Food Support Organisations in Scotland and their Implications for Policy |
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| Authors: | David Watts, Ruth Slater, John S. McKenzie |
| Contributors: | University of Aberdeen.Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen.Centre for the History and Philosophy of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHPSTM) |
| Source: | Scottish Affairs. 34:37-69 |
| Publisher Information: | Edinburgh University Press, 2025. |
| Publication Year: | 2025 |
| Subject Terms: | Q Science, Scotland, Supplementary Data, food insecurity, SDG 1 - No Poverty, food bank, welfare policy, SDG 2 - Zero Hunger, food support organisation, non-food support |
| Description: | The Scottish Government’s Cash-First policy aims to make food banks the “last port of call” for people in need, partly through the distribution of financial assistance, money advice and wider support via citizens advice bureaux and community and third sector organisations. This is likely to prove challenging, not least because recent statistics from the UK’s Family Resources Survey show that household food insecurity has increased considerably in Scotland since 2019. This paper presents and discusses data gathered by the authors on the distribution and functions of food support organisations in Scotland. It finds that food support outlets are distributed widely, though unevenly, and that a sizable proportion of them provide a range of services that renders the distinction between community organisations and food banks increasingly redundant. The wide distribution and multifunctionality of many food support outlets suggests that they may be well located to deliver aspects of the Scottish Government’s food insecurity policy. However, this raises questions about what success for Cash-First might look like. |
| Document Type: | Article |
| File Description: | application/pdf |
| Language: | English |
| ISSN: | 2053-888X 0966-0356 |
| DOI: | 10.3366/scot.2025.0534 |
| Rights: | EUP TDM |
| Accession Number: | edsair.doi.dedup.....c557058b6771fc5c62ed1f72e3037a38 |
| Database: | OpenAIRE |
| ISSN: | 2053888X 09660356 |
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| DOI: | 10.3366/scot.2025.0534 |