The Influencing of Consumer Aspirations on Food Choice, Sourcing and Consumption Among Low-Income Households of eThekwini Municipality: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Unhealthy foods, availed through food retail supermarkets, restaurant franchises, and the local street food market, have become everyday foods for the average South African. Reliance on unhealthy food results in high incidence of non-communicable diseases, which necessitate a transition towards healthy diets produced from sustainable healthy food systems. This study sought to understand factors influencing food choice, sourcing, and resultant food consumption behaviour among low-income households of eThekwini Municipality, South Africa. The study used the photovoice method to collect primary data and the inductive thematic approach to analyse the data. Results reveal that consumer food choice, sourcing, and consumption are influenced by deeply rooted aspirations for a superior lifestyle which drives perceptions about socially acceptable foods. These aspirations not only define and perpetuate an unhealthy diet but have the potential to suppress efforts towards development of sustainable healthy food systems. This study opens discourses on consumer aspirations in relation to food choice, sourcing, and consumption behaviour, which are critical to policy and programme development in promoting healthy diets among low-income households of South Africa.