Is it just a matter of zoning laws? Because in strictly economic terms, it seems to me like it would be very advantageous to open a grocery store in a neighborhood that is devoid of them.
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At least in the US, it tends to be about socioeconomic divisions. In just about any city*, there are going to be richer neighborhoods and poorer neighborhoods, and in a lot of places those lines between neighborhoods are going to be along racial lines as well. Just because segregation is no longer policy, doesn’t mean it isn’t still felt, and reflected in urban demographics.
So yes, you would think that opening up a grocery store in a food desert would be a profitable choice- but consider where food deserts tend to be. They tend to be in poor neighborhoods, which might have higher crime rates, and are typically full of people of color. So, when some grocery store CEO is deciding where to expand and looking at the numbers- they’re more likely to open a new store near wealthier people, in a safer area. Even if those well off people already have another option to get fresh foods.
And then of course, people in food deserts end up with health problems due to not having easy access to unprocessed foods, and the cycle of poverty continues.
*rural areas can be food deserts as well- for the similar reason that the people are often poor, and also that population density is low, which likewisemakes a grocery store less economically viable.
We tend to crowd the poorest people into close proximity. Supermarkets are generally a low-margin business. So if you’re opening a supermarket, there isn’t a ton of money to be made opening a location where no one has much money for luxuries and are just buying not-terribly-profitable staple foods.
It’s a combination of zoning laws and the way competition works.
Zoning laws initially restrict where grocery stores can open. After grocery stores do open, market forces can drive them away.
For example, a neighbourhood grocery store at the edge of a community might open at first, but it can get dwarfed by a larger grocery store a couple of blocks away on the main drag. However, that store could later be closed for various reasons, such as the company moving to an area with more space a bit further away.
The original reason for the neighbourhood grocery store closing is gone, but it’s hard for a new one to open up again. This can be for a number of reasons, such as bus routes no longer serving that area, or a new restriction on truck sizes that got put in place since the grocery store left.
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