[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":85},["ShallowReactive",2],{"pages-686bc1b36e93fb434c967d78":3},{"_id":4,"state":5,"name":6,"category":7,"theme":8,"components":9,"keywords":77},"686bc1b36e93fb434c967d78","active","Financial incentives for single parents to buy healthy and sustainable foods","discover","european_food_system_dashboard",[10,21,30,37,44,51,69],{"type":11,"index":12,"variation":13,"imageURL":14,"title":15,"description":16,"button":18},"header",0,"image_left","https://planeateu.retool.com/api/file/8acbb2a1-7483-43c5-a3c4-5f587e5f3010",{"en_GB":6},{"en_GB":17},"- Food system activity: Final consumption\n- Governance level: National\n- Cluster: Social equity, economic and community support\n- Origin: Hungary\n- Type of policy intervention: Financial",{"label":19,"URL":20},{"en_GB":20},"",{"type":22,"index":23,"variation":24,"imageURL":25,"title":26,"description":28},"image_and_text",1,"image_right","https://planeateu.retool.com/api/file/1c0aace6-2325-4a53-96d6-5d50235b85c7",{"en_GB":27},"Intervention Details",{"en_GB":29},"This policy interventions aims to improve dietary quality and food access among single-parent households by offering targeted financial support to purchase healthy and sustainable foods. Mechanisms can include food vouchers, digital coupons, or direct subsidies restricted to approved food categories such as fresh produce, whole grains, and plant-based proteins, aligned with national dietary guidelines and sustainability principles. These tools can be administered through existing welfare systems or retail partnerships. To qualify, foods must meet nutritional and/or environmental standards. The goal is twofold: to mitigate socioeconomic dietary inequalities and to support a shift toward more sustainable consumption patterns within a vulnerable demographic. This intervention originated from the food policy summit in Hungary, where the Living Lab target group actually also is single parent households. ",{"type":22,"index":31,"variation":13,"imageURL":32,"title":33,"description":35},2,"https://planeateu.retool.com/api/file/c32b40e5-d2c2-44bb-a1ed-0e0d2ba39795",{"en_GB":34},"Examples of implementation",{"en_GB":36},"Food insecurity and poor diet quality tend to be more prevalent among single-parent households, who often face higher time and budget constraints. A 2024 UK study found that 35% of single-parent households with children experienced food insecurity, compared to 17.6% of multi adult households with children (The Food Foundation, 2024). This is related to less disposable incomes in single-parent households, with single parents generally having a lower employment rate, and less disposable income including expenditure on food. There is an evidence base for the effectiveness of vouchers for fruits and vegetables purchase in low-income households, for instance in France (Bihan et al., 2010) and in England (McFadden et al., 2014). Moreover, there is also evidence that subsidies on healthier foods in general significantly increase the purchase of these foods (An, 2012; Afshin et al., 2017),). While there are not many examples in EU member states of specific interventions for single-parent households to stimulate healthy and sustainable food purchase, there are many programs for children in general, such as the EU’s School fruit, vegetables and milk scheme, and also for low-income families in general, such as the Healthy Start vouchers in the UK. ",{"type":22,"index":38,"variation":13,"imageURL":39,"title":40,"description":42},3,"https://planeateu.retool.com/api/file/afec88ea-040b-4549-a51c-f75cc9a63be5",{"en_GB":41},"Key implementation challenges",{"en_GB":43},"A key issue with this policy intervention is the generally low uptake and awareness of such vouchers or subsidies among the target population. Administrative barriers, language issues and stigma can contribute to low enrolment. To overcome this challenge, auto-enrolment of single-parent households below a certain income level can be considered. Integration into social protection or child welfare programs can also enhance feasibility and reach. Moreover, it is essential for these kinds of financial support schemes to keep up with inflation, as food prices can rise quickly. Finally, another challenge is ensuring that incentive-eligible foods are both nutritionally and environmentally beneficial, requiring alignment with national guidelines and possibly new food classification systems.",{"type":22,"index":45,"variation":13,"imageURL":46,"title":47,"description":49},4,"https://planeateu.retool.com/api/file/b466ae36-722e-4837-9540-cd11b3d71ab9",{"en_GB":48},"Expert Evaluation",{"en_GB":50},"Experts rated the effectiveness of this policy intervention at an average of 3.22/5.00 (SD = 1.14), indicating a moderately positive assessment and ranking in the bottom three (18th of out 20). Survey respondents noted that this policy intervention could change consumption habits towards healthy and sustainable food, which could in turn encourage suppliers to adapt to changing demand. Arguments against the effectiveness of this intervention included a preference for early behavioral interventions, such as preschool education and engagement with parents, over financial incentives. They also highlighted the risk that short-term financial incentives may not lead to sustained behavioral change and potential unintended consequences such as the stigmatization of single parents. The average feasibility score was 3.29/5.00 (SD = 0.98), reflecting a moderately positive assessment and ranking 14th overall. Survey respondents pointed out that this policy intervention could generate high costs and be unpopular given existing compulsory social security contributions. Experts identified policy synergies with the interventions “transition fund for farmers” and “consumer awareness campaigns”. ",{"type":52,"index":53,"variation":54,"title":55,"contact1":57,"contact2":63,"contact3":66},"contacts",5,"title_top",{"en_GB":56},"CONTACT",{"imageURL":58,"name":59,"description":61},"https://planeateu.retool.com/api/file/771281e8-fca5-4ec7-a45c-0addca312f67",{"en_GB":60},"Jeroen Candel",{"en_GB":62},"Associate professor of food and agricultural policy​",{"imageURL":20,"name":64,"description":65},{"en_GB":20},{"en_GB":20},{"imageURL":20,"name":67,"description":68},{"en_GB":20},{"en_GB":20},{"type":70,"index":71,"variation":72,"imageURL":20,"title":73,"description":75},"title_and_text",6,"title_image_description",{"en_GB":74},"List of References",{"en_GB":76},"•\tAfshin, A., Penalvo, J. L., Del Gobbo, L., et al. (2017). The prospective impact of food pricing on improving dietary consumption: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 12(3), e0172277. [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0172277](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0172277)\n\n•\tAn, R. (2013). Effectiveness of subsidies in promoting healthy food purchases and consumption: A review of field experiments. Public Health Nutrition, 16(7), 1215–1228. [https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980012004715](https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980012004715)\n\n•\tBihan, H., Castetbon, K., Mejean, C., Peneau, S., Pelabon, L., Jellouli, F., ... & Hercberg, S. (2010). Sociodemographic factors and attitudes toward food affordability and health are associated with fruit and vegetable consumption in a low-income French population. The Journal of nutrition, 140(4), 823-830.\n\n•\tThe Food Foundation (2024). Food insecurity among single parent families. [https://foodfoundation.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-02/Single%20Parents%20briefing_FINAL.pdf](https://foodfoundation.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-02/Single%20Parents%20briefing_FINAL.pdf) \n\n•\tMcFadden, A., Green, J. M., Williams, V., McLeish, J., McCormick, F., Fox-Rushby, J., & Renfrew, M. J. (2014). Can food vouchers improve nutrition and reduce health inequalities in low-income mothers and young children: a multi-method evaluation of the experiences of beneficiaries and practitioners of the Healthy Start programme in England. BMC public health, 14, 1-13.",[78,79,80,81,82,83,84],"final consumption","national","social equity","economic and community support","hungary","financial","policy intervention",1776157872000]