The utilization of Food banks in the United Kingdom has surged from 26,000 individuals in 2008–09 to more than 100 times that number in 2023. A staggering one in five British households experienced moderate to severe food insecurity in September 2022.

In the fiscal year leading up to April 2023, the Trussell Trust, the largest network of Food Banks in the UK, distributed emergency food parcels to nearly three million people.

While food banks have provided crucial support to low-income families, they are not without their flaws. Food banks offer limited choices and depend on unreliable supply chains. Research has also highlighted the shame and stigma experienced by individuals who rely on food banks.

My colleague Heather Hartwell and I conducted research at Bournemouth University and identified a promising alternative: Community Markets that sell food and household items at subsidized rates to all individuals. This article explores how community markets could serve as a sustainable solution to the limitations of food banks and existing food support programs.

Unlike food banks, community markets are open to everyone in the local community, irrespective of income level. They offer a wide range of food choices, as well as other items like school uniforms and toiletries.

Our research involved interviews with 38 individuals who regularly use or were involved in the operation of community markets in the UK. Through these discussions, we discovered that community markets effectively address the challenges of food security and provide a viable solution.

Unlike food banks that rely heavily on donations, community markets pay a subscription to charity networks such as FareShare. These organizations provide the markets with bulk items, which are then sold to the community at subsidized rates. The revenue generated from sales is reinvested to purchase future bulk items.

People with low incomes who shop at community markets appreciate the affordability of the food and feel a stronger sense of autonomy and community participation. They no longer feel that their reliance on food support is a barrier to being part of society.

Moreover, community markets serve as centers for organized group activities and services, ranging from cooking and gardening classes to yoga and sewing. These activities address not just hunger, but also loneliness and other health issues.

Community markets are economically self-sufficient and can even be environmentally sustainable. They use revenue from selling products at subsidized rates to subscribe to charitable food surplus redistribution organizations. In addition, they actively reduce food waste and their carbon footprint by redistributing surplus food to local emergency services and farms.

As the number of people relying on food aid continues to increase, it’s crucial for local councils and national governments to support alternatives to food banks. Community markets offer significant help to families facing food insecurity, while allowing them to maintain their dignity and be active contributors to their community.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.