How Food Injustice Impacts Lives in Europe

Eat or Heat

Europeans are increasingly feeling the squeeze of food prices, with inflation impacting essential grocery items across the continent. In 2023, for instance, food inflation in the Eurozone spiked to over 15% for staple items, including fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. For low-income families, these hikes make it harder to maintain a balanced diet, leading to increased reliance on cheaper, processed foods that are often high in calories but low in nutritional value.

With food prices climbing and wages stagnating in many areas, more households across Europe are turning to food banks as a vital resource. According to a European Food Banks Federation report, demand for food assistance has surged in recent years, with more than 32 million Europeans relying on some form of food aid in 2023.

Wanted: Fresh and Healthy Food

In large cities like Paris, Berlin, and Rome, low-income neighborhoods often lack easy access to fresh, affordable produce, a problem known as “food deserts.” This issue also affects rural communities, where supermarket chains and local markets are few and far between. For instance, in Spain, residents of remote villages report having to travel over 30 kilometers to reach a store with fresh produce.

In the UK, a 2022 study showed that areas with the highest levels of deprivation had 50% fewer supermarkets per capita compared to wealthier neighborhoods. This lack of access to healthy food choices has led to higher obesity rates and poorer health outcomes among urban residents, deepening health disparities and perpetuating a cycle of inequality. Food deserts underscore the geographical and economic divides that characterize food injustice, even within prosperous urban areas.

The Crisis Facing Small Farmers

More than 56% of farms in Europe are small-scale, family-run operations, yet many struggle to compete against industrial farms due to market pressures and low prices for their produce. Since 2005, Europe has lost over 30% of its small farms, a trend accelerated by high production costs, competition from large-scale agribusinesses, and volatile market prices.

In addition to economic pressures, small farmers face structural challenges like limited access to fair loans, insufficient subsidies compared to larger farms, and volatile crop prices that increase their vulnerability. Environmental challenges such as climate change further exacerbate these issues, with extreme weather events threatening crops and livestock, creating more economic uncertainty for small-scale producers. According to the European Network for Rural Development (ENRD), small farms in the EU earn, on average, around 40% less than the median income level across the EU.

When Climate Interferes…

Food injustice and environmental degradation are tightly connected, with both causes and consequences impacting vulnerable communities the hardest. Industrial agriculture is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for nearly 10% of total emissions in the EU, with 70% of this coming from the animal farming sector.

Practices like intensive monoculture, pesticide use, and heavy reliance on synthetic fertilizers deplete soil, reduce biodiversity, and accelerate climate change. Small-scale farmers, who often use sustainable techniques that respect the land, are increasingly pressured to compete with large industrial players, leading to reduced biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.

The uneven distribution of climate impacts also means that lower-income rural and coastal areas bear the brunt of extreme weather events—droughts, floods, and storms—that disrupt local food supplies and livelihoods. This amplifies food insecurity and weakens community resilience.

Taking Action: How You Can Help