‘Hampers’ as an effective strategy to shift towards sustainable diets in South African low-income communities

Figures & data

Table 1. Research questions and methods used.

Research Questions	Method used
What is a hamper and which foods does it typically include?	Collection and analysis of store-level data
	Qualitative interviews with store managers and thematic analysis
Who purchases hampers, and how?	Qualitative interviews with store managers and thematic analysis
	Quantitative analysis of SLF survey data
What are the nutritional and environmental implications of hampers?	Nutritional analysis based on analysis of store-level data collected and literature
	Environmental analysis based on analysis of store-level data collected and literature
What is the origin of hampers and which actors are most involved in their supply chain?	Qualitative interviews with store managers and thematic analysis
	Collection and analysis of store-level data
	Mapping of supply chain actors based on qualitative interviews and literature
What are the barriers and opportunities to improving the contribution of hampers to sustainable diets?	Qualitative interviews with store managers and thematic analysis
	Mapping of Value Chain actors based qualitative interviews and literature

Figure 1. Map of formal stores visited during fieldwork in Cape Town.

Table 2. Stores where interviews were conducted.

Store type	Interviewee	Area	Store sold hampers
Supermarket	SM1^a	Mitchell's plain	Yes
Supermarket	SM2	Constantia	No
Supermarket	SM3	Philippi	Yes
Supermarket	SM4	Philippi	Yes
Supermarket	SM5	Khayelitsha	Yes
Supermarket	SM6	Bellville	No
Supermarket	SM7	Philippi	No
Wholesaler	WM1^b	Philippi	Yes
Wholesaler	WM2	Philippi	Yes
Wholesaler	WM3	Epping	Yes

^a SM stands for ‘Supermarket Manager’.

^b WM stands for ‘Wholesaler Manager’.

Figure 2. Pictures of a classic hamper in Philippi Superspar (Source: Author’s own).

Figure 3. Spaza hampers (Source: Author’s own).

Figure 4. Pictures of FV hampers at Pick n Pay (Source: Author’s own).

Table 3. Content and price of hampers found in Cape Town, and estimated savings.

Hamper number	Hamper content	Quantity		Estimated price if sold individually	Actual hamper price	Estimated savings	% savings
1	rice	10 kg		R356.50	R349.00	R7.50	2%
	sugar	10 kg
	oil	2 l	*
	flour	10 kg
	maize	10 kg
2	rice	10 kg		R369.50	R369.00	R0.50	0%
	sugar	10 kg
	oil	2 l	*
	flour	10 kg
	maize	10 kg
3	rice	10 kg		R404.34	R385.00	R19.34	5%
	sugar	10 kg	*
	oil	2 l	*
	flour	10 kg
	maize	10 kg
4	rice	10 kg		R417.34	R395.00	R22.34	5%
	sugar	10 kg	*
	oil	2 l	*
	flour	10 kg
	maize	10 kg
5	rice	10 kg		R384.50	R369.00	R15.50	4%
	sugar	10 kg
	oil	2 l	*
	flour	10 kg
	maize	10 kg
6	rice	10 kg		R371.50	R349.00	R22.50	6%
	sugar	10 kg
	oil	2 l	*
	flour	10 kg
	maize	10 kg
7	rice	10 kg		R373.50	R375.00	−R1.50	0%
	sugar	10 kg
	oil	2 l	*
	flour	10 kg
	maize	10 kg
8	rice	10 kg		R401.91	R494.95	−R93.04	−23%
	sugar	10 kg
	oil	2 l
	flour	10 kg
	maize	10 kg
9	flour	10 kg		R251.93	R239.99	R11.94	5%
	rice	10 kg
	maize	10 kg
10	flour	10 kg		R221.97	R345.00	−R123.03	−55%
	rice	10 kg
	maize	10 kg
11	rice	10 kg		R359.96	R360.00	−R0.04	0%
	sugar	10 kg
	oil	2 l
	maize	10 kg
12	rice	5 kg		R235.45	R229.95	R5.50	2%
	sugar	5 kg
	oil	2 l	*
	flour	5 kg	*
	maize	5 kg
13	rice	10 kg	*	R280.15	R229.00	R51.15	18%
	Extra porridge	5 kg
	flour	10 kg
	maize	10 kg
14	flour	10 kg	*	R265.82	R239.99	R25.83	10%
	rice	10 kg	*
	maize	10 kg

*Products for which the price when sold individually was not available. Therefore, the price is estimated as the average price at which that product is sold across all stores visited.

Figure 5. Main products and brands comprising hampers, and the processing companies that produce them.

Table 4. Major South African grocery retail groups, according to market share (Trade Intelligence, 2016).

Grocery retail group	Include	National Market Share
Shoprite Holding	Shoprite	26%
	Checkers
	U-Save
Massmart Holdings	Makro	20%
	Game
	Jumbo Cash & Carry
Spar Group	Spar	20%
	SuperSpar
Pick n Pay	Pick n Pay	16%
	Boxer
Woolworths		<15%

Figure 6. Hamper supply chain (made by authors, adapted from Greenberg, 2017).

Table 5. Macro and micronutrient content of sample hamper observed during fieldwork, based on nutrition labels.

	Maize meal (100 g)	Cake wheat flour (100 g)	Parboiled white rice (120 g cooked)	White sugar (100 g)	Cooking oil (100 ml)
Food Group	Grains	Grains	Grains	Sugar	Fat
Energy (kj)	1368	1439	659	1692	3389
Protein (g)	5.6	10.2	3.2	0	0
Glycaemic carbohydrates (g)	72	71	34	100	0
of which total sugars (g)	1.8	0.2	1.4	99.8	0
Total fat (g)	0.7	0.9	0.4	0	91.7
of which saturated fat (g)	0.1	0	0.1	0	14
of which trans fat (g)	<0.01	<0.1	<0.05		<0.5
of which monounsaturated fat (g)	0.2	0	0.1		26
of which polyunsaturated fat (g)	0.4	0	0.1		55
cholesterol (mg)	<1	<1	<1		0
Dietary fibre (g)	2.5	3.7	1.3
Total sodium (mg)	<6	<5	<6	<1	0
Vitamin A (µgRE)	188
Thiamine (B1) (mg)	0.3
Riboflavin (B2)	0.2
Niacin (B3) (mg)	3
Pyridoxine (B6)	0.4
Folic acid (B9) (µg)	189
Iron (mg)	3.7
Zinc (mg)	1.9

Trade Intelligence, 2016. Malls to markets – An introduction to South African food and retail grocery. Trade Intelligence, Durban.

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Greenberg, S, 2017. Corporate power in the agro-food system and South Africa’s consumer food environment. The Journal of Peasant Studies 44(2), 467–96.

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