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No Through Road: The Limitations of Food Miles

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  • Els Wynen

Abstract

Some consumers and environmentalists espouse purchasing food that is produced locally or nationally. An appealing expression of this is the “food miles” concept, which reflects the aim of minimizing the distance food has traveled before reaching the consumer. The concept of food miles is flawed because it ignores the costs of production, the mode and scale of transport, and the importance of other inputs such as capital and labor. Nonetheless, the notion has become popular recently with the rise in the costs of both food and transport. Indeed, some organizations that set standards for organic certification are considering incorporating, or have already incorporated, food miles into their standards, including a ban on air freighted goods. As a result, exporters, including those in some developing countries, may lose their markets in developed countries, especially in Europe. This approach may make consumers and foreign producers worse off, and may lead to increases in global energy use and emissions, contrary to the stated objectives.[ADBI WP NO 118]

Suggested Citation

  • Els Wynen, 2009. "No Through Road: The Limitations of Food Miles," Working Papers id:1942, eSocialSciences.
    • Handle: RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:1942
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    File URL: http://www.eSocialSciences.com/data/articles/Document1145200930.9304773.pdf
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Misak Avetisyan & Thomas Hertel & Gregory Sampson, 2014. "Is Local Food More Environmentally Friendly? The GHG Emissions Impacts of Consuming Imported versus Domestically Produced Food," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 58(3), pages 415-462, July.
    2. John Ballingall & Niven Winchester, 2010. "Food Miles: Starving the Poor?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(10), pages 1201-1217, October.
    3. Ballingall, John & Winchester, Niven, 2009. "Distance isn’t dead : An empirical evaluation of food miles-based preference changes," NZIER Working Paper 2009/1, New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.

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