Regional Food Networks in Scotland: A statistical report of locality and types of Regional Food Networks
As Identified in our 2023 discussion paper there has been a growing interest in local food economies in Scotland (and the rest of the UK and Europe) since the early 2000s. There is further renewed interest in local and regional food, stimulated by the resilience shown by the sector during a prolonged period of turbulence in food supplies caused by Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, as well as the requirements of many public authorities to publish Good Food Nation Plans as set out in the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022.
This report presents a picture of the location and type of regional food networks in Scotland using available data, with an emphasis on mapping the geographic concentration of food and drink industries across Scotland. More specifically, it explores the data availability and accessibility for identifying and analysing regional food networks: what exists and where; to what extent these sources together support the development of a comprehensive understanding of regional food networks; and what further data or connectivity is required to enable support and growth of regional food in Scotland.
Whilst there are many data sources that contain information about the food produced, retailed and purchased in Scotland, there are currently no definitive datasets for ‘local’ foods. However, there are two main categories of data which may be useful for assessing local and regional food: (i) quantitative administrative data, such as economic growth statistics, HMRC trade data and consumption data through panels such as Kantar; and (ii) qualitative information provided by databases of food businesses, registration of businesses via local authorities for regulatory reasons, or in applications to support schemes.
We reviewed existing datasets with relevance to regional food, to determine their applicability to local and regional food network analysis. We then calculated location quotients for food and drink industries in Scotland to show the spatial concentration of individual food and drink industries across Scotland. Data was mapped at local authority and intermediate zone levels. Finally, we reviewed the 18 formalised Regional Food Groups in Scotland to determine provision at a regional level.
