Experiences of food insecurity under COVID-19
In partnership with the Food Standards Agency
This work was a partnership with AndGood, led by Caitlin Connors and Laura Malan, with support from an amazing team: Siobhan Canavan, Fan Sissoko, Maria Carmo, Claire Sheppard, Fran Cook, Mary Coyne and Andrew Wood.
Huge thanks to our clients at the FSA for their trust and guidance, particularly Michelle Patel & Richard Bridge.
FOOD INSECURITY UNDER PANDEMIC
Food insecurity is a very formal phrase for a deeply scary human experience: not having the funds to ensure a steady supply of healthy food. It is an experience that was on the rise well before Covid-19 arrived. Controlling for socioeconomic variables, the probability of low-income adults being food insecure rose from 27.7% in 2004 to 45.8% in 2016.
The FSA found that food insecurity in the UK more than doubled under Covid-19 and lockdown and wanted to explore the experiences of those living through it. Together, we developed a two-phase research approach exploring multi-layered drivers and impacts of insecurity with 20 people in the UK, both those who had struggled to afford food prior to pandemic and the newly hungry.
For our participants, living under the profound disruption, fear and anxiety of Covid-19, food was a continual source of concern and worry rather than nourishment or security. Birthdays with no birthday cake; day after day of peas on toast; freezers full of bread but nothing else; worsening health and mental health. Many cut calorie intake and reduced their food quality — with far-reaching physical and emotional impacts. Many children went without.
Image of one participants’ experience under pandemic, outlining personal impacts and barriers to service.
PARTICIPANT RIGHTS AND CARE
Our work began in May 2020, just months into pandemic - when the shock of the new had worn off and the reality of chronic financial and emotional stress was beginning to take its toll. As we planned for fieldwork, we found ourselves uncomfortable with the normed standards of participant care in research. For example, in a context of mental health services overwhelm, and where we were asking participants to engage in potentially traumatic discussion of highly personal and difficult issues, would we really be comfortable simply signposting to a mental health charity at the end of the session?
We examined our end to end participant experience and adjusted it to amp up focus on participant rights, care and support. We rebuilt consent forms; developed an extensive participant wellbeing pack that signposted to a range of services but also provided techniques for dealing with on-the-spot overwhelm and stress; and consulted with the MRS and SRA to arrange for opt-in light-touch psychological follow-up support (from trained clinical psychotherapist Mary Coyne) for anyone that would value immediate support.
TEAM CARE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY
Vicarious trauma is real and present danger in social research, and had the potential to be particularly damaging under lockdown conditions where researchers were finding new boundaries and patterns - whilst also managing a lot of additional stress in their own right. We wanted to avoid overloading researchers and also minimise risking transference of our own stress into research interactions.
We worked with partner Andrew Wood to develop a 3-part team care plan focused on establishing psychological safety, mutual care and honest self reflection. We established boundaries with the work and with each other; articulated warning signs that would tell us a break, some ‘vent time’ or some dedicated coaching was needed, and held regular sessions to process, release and celebrate the work.
IMPACT
Findings from this work were shared widely within central and local Government, the charity sector, and with the public via traditional and social media. We thank the Big Issue particularly for their sensitive and thoughtful coverage.
As we enter our second year of pandemic, the experiences represented in these 20 people’s stories are being repeated daily across the nation, and many continue to struggle without help. We encourage those seeking to understand food insecurity and experiences of support (and gaps) to use findings to inform action.
want to learn more?
The FSA has made our full report available for public use (c. 25 min read).
Our summary blog contains key findings and participant case studies (10 min read)
Ipsos Mori also provided quantitative statistics on food insecurity prevalence.
The FSA also has a wealth of other research and data on food and food behaviours under Covid-19
Open source resources
Our open source consent form focused on rights and care.
Our approach to team care will be open source soon - get in touch if you want to be notified.