Work

Exploring the types of approaches used by community food organisations and their role in food insecurity prevention: a mixed-methods study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Objectives Community food organisations are local food infrastructures that respond to household food insecurity (though they may be nationally managed). They are diverse in their approaches and include, among others, emergency food distribution, food pantries, community kitchens and food banks. Many provide additional support, including welfare advice, employment support, food vouchers and signposting to helpful resources. We investigated what approaches used by community food (aid) organisations are most likely to help prevent the need for emergency food for families in two multicultural areas in the North and South of England. Design A longitudinal mixed-method research programme, including systems mapping, survey and workshops, semi-structured qualitative interviews and a multiple-method longitudinal qualitative study (ethnography, go-along interviews and visual study). Setting Community settings, including ethnographies in nine community food organisations across two local government areas. Data collection took place from July 2023 to July 2025. Participants 89 community food organisations and ~160 representatives took part across work packages, including workshops (n=82 local/national representatives), survey (n=89 organisations), ethnography (n=9 organisations); interviews (n=36 funders, coordinators, managers and volunteers); longitudinal interviews (n=40 families with lived experience of food insecurity) and visual study (n=36 families). Results Community food organisations are part of a complex, fragile food system, with high dependency on surplus food, volunteers and external funding. Although many aim to address underlying issues, food insecurity prevention is often not possible in practice, largely due to operational tensions (space, capacity and funding constraints) and wider financial and political constraints Conclusions No single model of delivery within community food organisations appears more effective at preventing the need for emergency food. Instead, sufficient space, time and resources to address underlying needs and staff approachability are most likely to make a difference. However, any influence organisations play to reduce food insecurity would be minimal without tackling poverty as an underlying cause.

Source: BMJ Open

DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2026-122055