From Food Desert to Food Mirage: Race, Social Class, and Food Shopping in a Gentrifying Neighborhood

Authors

Daniel Monroe Sullivan, Portland State University

Published In

Advances in Applied Sociology

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-2014

Subjects

Food -- Economic aspects, Social classes, Food security, Gentrification

Abstract

New supermarkets in previous “food deserts” can benefit residents by improving their access to healthful, affordable food. But in gentrifying neighborhoods characterized by the inflow of middle-class, white residents and the outflow of working class, minorities, who benefits from a new supermarket that emphasizes organic food and environmental sustainability? This paper contributes to the food access literature by examining the food shopping behavior of diverse residents by using survey data and probability sampling in the Alberta neighborhood in Portland, Oregon (USA). Regression results show that college-educated (62%) and white residents (60%) are much more likely to shop there weekly, regardless of age, gender, owner-renter status, distance from supermarket, or length of time living in the neighborhood. These findings indicate that supermarkets that promote healthy living and environmental sustainability need to be sensitive to the racial “symbolic boundaries” and socioeconomic barriers that may create “food mirages” by limiting food access to poor and minority residents.

Rights

Copyright © 2014 Daniel Monroe Sullivan.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.4236/aasoci.2014.41006

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/16102

Citation Details

Sullivan, D. M. (2014). From food desert to food mirage: Race, social class, and food shopping in a gentrifying neighborhood. Advances in Applied Sociology, 4(01), 30.