The Availability and Relative Cost of Locally Produced Foods in Grocery Stores in Nova Scotia

Abstract

In this study, an adapted National Nutritious Food Basket (NNFB) survey tool was used to monitor availability of locally produced foods in grocery stores in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. As part of a larger Participatory Food Costing Project, which employed a participatory action research (PAR) methodology, data on the availability and relative cost of locally produced food items were collected in a stratified random sample of grocery stores (n = 46). Analysis of the results revealed that though there were inconsistencies in the availability of NNFB items that were produced locally, a similar pattern of availability was found in grocery stores throughout Nova Scotia. In 75% of the grocery stores that offered a local option, the locally produced NNFB food was lowest in price.

Keywords:

• Food access
• food availability
• food basket
• food costing
• food insecurity
• food security
• local foods
• Nova Scotia
• participatory action research

Acknowledgments

The Nova Scotia Participatory Food Costing project was supported by a grant from the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness (formerly Department of Health Promotion and Protection). The authors are grateful to the food costers and support personnel, as well as members of the Food Costing Working Group of the Nova Scotia Food Security Network (NSFSN) Coordinating Committee. They acknowledge the work of MSVU Dietetic Intern Lesley Neil, who helped with preliminary analysis of the 2007 data, and Lesley Frank (2007–2008) and Michelle Florence (2008–2009), coordinators with the Participatory Food Costing Project, for their help with data collection and analysis, respectively. Thanks also to Cynthia Watt, current Provincial Participatory Food Costing Coordinator, for her assistance with reviewing the draft.