Assessing consumer-perceived urban food environment domains: a cross-sectional study of accessibility, affordability and convenience across selected urban sites in 11 Indian states
Eram S. Rao, Kamalesh Kumar Patel, Suneeta Chandorkar, Sana Ahmed, Jyoti Vijay, Dinesh Balam, Sumeet Kumar Behera, Paramita Bhattacharjee, Vaijayanthi Kanabur, Shruti Kantawala, Roshan Lal, Panchali Moitra, Anita Pinheiro, Abhishek Pradhan, Kriti Rawal, Pinki Saini, Vijayata Sengar, Simran Singh, Shonima Venugopal, Meenakshi GargPurpose
This study aims to assess consumer-perceived food environment domains- accessibility, affordability and convenience, and their influence on food purchasing behavior among households surveyed in selected urban sites across 11 Indian states.
Design/methodology/approach
This cross-sectional study assessed consumer perceptions of food accessibility, affordability and convenience across selected urban sites in 11 Indian states. Approximately 102 households per site were selected using multi-stage stratified random sampling, and primary household decision-makers (≥18 years) were surveyed using a contextualized questionnaire adapted from global tools.
Findings
Among 1,117 participants, local markets were the primary reported food source, while e-commerce use increased with income and education. Low-income groups reported purchasing more snacks and sweets, whereas high-income groups reported more frequent purchases of fast foods and beverages. Pulses, nuts, oils, fruits and meats were commonly perceived as expensive. Under a hypothetical income increase, participants indicated a preference for higher-quality and more varied foods. Perceived convenience was mainly influenced by accessibility, storage and preparation, with atta, rice, pulses and milk rated as most convenient.
Originality/value
This study contributes novel, context-specific evidence on consumer-perceived food environments across selected urban sites in India. Using a standardized assessment across 11 states, it provides a comprehensive understanding of perceived accessibility, affordability and convenience and their relationship with household food purchasing behaviors, offering valuable evidence for researchers, practitioners and policymakers working to improve urban food systems.