An exploration of community food pantries in Scotland: strategic and operational perspectives on addressing food insecurity and health inequalities.

Introduction: Food insecurity and health are inextricably linked. Since 2008, Scotland has witnessed a proliferation of both food insecurity and emergency food provision. There is a recognised commitment from Scottish Government to 'end the need for food banks', however, the food aid landscape was 'turbo-charged' during COVID-19 leading to intense expansion and diversification of food-based projects, including the development of community food pantries (CFPs). These 'new' models are relatively under-researched, meaning we do not adequately understand their potential or realised impacts on food insecurity and health. This study aims to fill that gap.

Methods: A qualitative methodology was used to collect and analyse data from in-depth interviews with 10 representatives from both operational and policy settings related to food insecurity in Scotland. In addition, we conducted an analysis of policy documentation from Scottish Government related to tackling food insecurity to understand how CFPs fit into its overall strategy to transition away from food bank use.

Results: We found there were variations in conceptualisations of CFPs and how they operate, challenges related to addressing food insecurity at a community level and varied narratives around the role of community level interventions in tackling health inequalities. Choice and access to services were viewed as central components to the pantry model. However, there were significant challenges faced by CFPs, including territorialism, funding and food supply. Articulations of health were often multi-layered and complicated with strong recognition of the social determinants as well as acknowledgement of the limitations of tackling food insecurity and health inequalities solely at the community level.

Conclusions: Despite a commitment to transition away from emergency food provision, CFPs in Scotland appear to face many of the same issues as food banks, particularly those which impact health. Urgent critique of their reliance on surplus food redistribution is required alongside investigation of how these 'new' models are experienced by the people who access them. Further expansion of these models should be viewed with caution and in the same vein as traditional emergency food provision: a symptom of, rather than a solution to, the problem of food insecurity.