The role of low-income consumers in food system transitions: case studies of community supported agriculture and social groceries in France

Abstract

A growing interest in local food systems in the form of local initiatives and policies is spreading in Europe as a response to the unsustainability of the industrial food system. Researchers call this phenomenon a "food systems transition" (FST). The extent to which these trends are socially inclusive remains contested. The study analyses the shape of low-income consumer (LIC) participation in FST and the factors playing a favourable role in this process. In a given area of Rennes region (Brittany, France) ranging from urban to rural, all the AMAPs (as illustrations of FST initiatives) and social inclusion initiatives such as social grocery shops (as an illustration of LIC inclusion through food) were analysed thanks to semi-directive interviews with responsible persons. We detailed the factors influencing social inclusion in FST initiatives and the presence of FST elements in social assistance organisms. Social inclusion appears rather absent in the former, priority being given to the current stability of the initiative and to other ethical dimensions. FST elements are gaining a prominent place in the latter, either accidentally or as a desired part of the assistance strategy. It is through partnerships with one another that some rare structures engage in a socially inclusive FST. Social and cultural capitals are necessary for LIC to get involved in the FST and claim more food justice.