One in three people worldwide faces food insecurity, and a new study from Flinders University in Australia finds that most food relief strategies focus on short-term fixes rather than longer-term solutions, with some approaches risking dependency and stigma if they are not paired with dignity and broader social support.
The research, led by the Center for Social Impact at Flinders University and published in the journal Agriculture and Human Values, analyzed 43 food relief providers and grouped them into seven models: parcels, vouchers, meal services, pantries, mini-markets, social supermarkets, and affordable food alternatives. Each was assessed across multiple criteria, including how much choice customers had and whether services extended beyond food provision.
Researchers found that while all models provide vital support, those that restrict choice or rely solely on emergency provision carry risks if they are not connected to wider services.
"Progressive food relief models, such as social supermarkets and affordable food initiatives, aim to provide not only choice and dignified access to affordable food, but also connection to wider social supports," said Dr. Diana Eyers-White, lead author of the study.
Social supermarkets are slowly gaining ground in Australia as one alternative approach. In South Australia, a not-for-profit called The Food Center operates an open-access model that includes a supermarket with some free items, a low-cost café, thrift shop, community kitchen, volunteering opportunities, gardening workshops, and social support services including no-interest loans. Other examples include centers in Broken Hill offering dignified food access alongside social, educational, and information services for social housing tenants, and a 100% Indigenous-owned café, gallery, and supermarket in Western Australia's Pilbara region.
The researchers argue these integrated models are more sustainable because they combine food access with empowerment, community connection, and pathways out of hardship rather than treating food as the only need.
"Models such as social supermarkets highlight the value of integrated approaches that combine food with social supports, services, empowerment opportunities and community connections," said Dr. Eyers-White.
Food insecurity is no longer concentrated in lower-income countries. At least 13% of people in wealthy, food-producing nations such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States are now affected, a figure researchers say has grown alongside rising costs of living and global instability.
"By framing food relief as a strategically designed enterprise—shaped by resources, partnerships and community relationships and positioned within broader welfare and market systems—our research helps to explain what makes these organizations sustainable and effective over time," Dr. Eyers-White said.
The study makes the case that the design of food relief organizations, not just their existence, determines whether they help people move toward stability or remain dependent on emergency support.
