Inner-city 'food deserts' a mirage, say academics

So-called 'food deserts' - allegedly created by grocers' absence from poor inner-city areas - are a myth, research by Southampton University academics has revealed.

In fact, changes to local diets following the arrival of a supermarket locally are minor, indicating that access to stores is not the deciding factor in poor eating habits.

As part of the study, 1,000 households' food consumption in Seacroft and Whinmoor, Leeds, was monitored before and after the opening of a Tesco superstore.

Improved access to a supermarket led to an improved diet among some residents, but changes were 'small in absolute terms'.

Professor Neil Wrigley of the University of Southampton's geography department reported: 'Food retail access appears to be merely one part of a complex combination of critical barriers which must be overcome if diet-related health is to be improved in deprived areas of British cities.'

British Retail Consortium assistant director, food policy, Rachel Kenningham said that the Government should recognise that supermarkets, far from being blamed for poor diet in poor areas, should be sought as allies for change rather than criticised.

She said: 'There is an emotional bias against the big supermarkets at the moment, but this research indicates that instead of being the problem they might be the solution to a number of issues that the government is trying to deal with.'