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How Traditional Markets Support Local Food Systems

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World Food Day - photograph of Sara Gonzalez at a fish counter in Leeds Kirkgate Market

World Food Day commemorates the founding of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation in 1945.  Held each year, World Food Day promotes awareness of hunger and action for the future of food, people, and our planet. It is celebrated in 150 countries worldwide.  The theme for 2024 is ‘Right to foods for a better life and a better future’, aiming to highlight the immediate and long-term benefits of prioritising access to safe and nutritious food for all.

Prof Sara Gonzalez explores how a new research project advocates for public policies that can expand the region’s ‘right to food’

In the UK eight supermarkets currently control 95% of the grocery market (Kantar World Panel), yet traditional food markets have potential to contribute to a more sustainable and equitable food system addressing pressing issues like the cost-of-living crisis and climate change.

Sara has been awarded Research England Policy Support Funding to carry out research between November 2024 and July 2025 to address knowledge gaps in the traditional market’s role in the regional food system.  You can read Sara's blog here.

This new project builds on research that was supported by Leeds Social Sciences Institute, via two Impact Acceleration projects: one to produce a practical handbook for trader and community-run markets in collaboration with CLES and Power to Change.  Another award supported the upgrade of the Markets4People website to become a clearer communication tool for stakeholders in the markets sector.

In 2023, we worked with Sara on our case study regarding the development of the Markets4People website, and how collaborating with stakeholders such as community groups, market users, operators and managers, as well as market traders, enabled the project to report back to Local Authorities to better understand the community value which traditional markets offer, whilst connecting existing academic and policy literature.  The website provides a central source of information.

To find out more about any of the above, please contact Professor Sara Gonzalez: s.gonzalez@leeds.ac.uk.