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Purpose <p>The spreading of food deserts in rural and urban areas decreases the quality of life for the respective local population. Consumption patterns are linked to health, so food deserts significantly affect consumers’ health. Our goal is to map how consumers perceive the presence of food deserts based on a distance-time awareness.</p> Methods <p>This research, utilising a questionnaire based on distance and time, investigates the consumers’ perceptions of food deserts. The availability of major food groups and the associated purchasing options (e.g., shopping frequency, type of store) were systematically examined. Subsequently, the findings were statistically correlated with demographic variables and general health characteristics (e.g., body mass index, chronic diseases). The results were obtained from a representative sample of 1,000 individuals in Hungary.</p> Results <p>The analysis revealed that a significant segment of the population faces the problem of food deserts, and purchasing habits were shown to be affected as well. A total of 15% of the population lives at least 10&#xa0;km from fresh food products, and the proportion of people living at least 5&#xa0;km from it is already 30%. The distance to the store and the frequency of purchases are inversely proportional.</p> Conclusion <p>This study presents some best practices that could provide solutions to the problem of food deserts (such as community gardens, SNAP-type support, staffless shops and farmers’ markets), while also drawing the attention of decision-makers to the need for effective measures. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first representative study focusing on the phenomenon of food deserts in Hungary.</p>

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Consumers’ Distance Perception of Food Deserts in Hungary

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月3日

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  • Gabriella Soós,
  • Andrea Lugasi

摘要

Purpose

The spreading of food deserts in rural and urban areas decreases the quality of life for the respective local population. Consumption patterns are linked to health, so food deserts significantly affect consumers’ health. Our goal is to map how consumers perceive the presence of food deserts based on a distance-time awareness.

Methods

This research, utilising a questionnaire based on distance and time, investigates the consumers’ perceptions of food deserts. The availability of major food groups and the associated purchasing options (e.g., shopping frequency, type of store) were systematically examined. Subsequently, the findings were statistically correlated with demographic variables and general health characteristics (e.g., body mass index, chronic diseases). The results were obtained from a representative sample of 1,000 individuals in Hungary.

Results

The analysis revealed that a significant segment of the population faces the problem of food deserts, and purchasing habits were shown to be affected as well. A total of 15% of the population lives at least 10 km from fresh food products, and the proportion of people living at least 5 km from it is already 30%. The distance to the store and the frequency of purchases are inversely proportional.

Conclusion

This study presents some best practices that could provide solutions to the problem of food deserts (such as community gardens, SNAP-type support, staffless shops and farmers’ markets), while also drawing the attention of decision-makers to the need for effective measures. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first representative study focusing on the phenomenon of food deserts in Hungary.