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Women’s employment and the decline of home cooking: Evidence from France, 1985–2010

Author

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  • Fabrice Etilé

    (Paris School of Economics and INRA, 48 Boulevard Jourdan)

  • Marie Plessz

    (Centre Maurice Halbwachs (EHESS, ENS, CNRS, PSL Research University) and INRA)

Abstract

We here investigate the extent to which labour-market changes explain the decline in the time spent home cooking by married women in France between 1985 and 2010. Using time use data and Oaxaca-Blinder decompositions, we find that rising women’s employment and observed wages together account for about 60% of the fall in the time married women spent cooking. We then use a semi-parametric matching technique to construct an implicit wage rate, which better reflects the change in labour-market incentives that individuals face. The rise in women’s implicit wages explains no more than 20% of the decline in their cooking time, while the wage of their partner has no effect. Changing labour-market incentives are thus far from being the main driver of the decline in home-cooking. We also find evidence that home cooking continues to be structured by the gendered social norm of the “proper family meal”.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabrice Etilé & Marie Plessz, 2018. "Women’s employment and the decline of home cooking: Evidence from France, 1985–2010," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 939-970, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:reveho:v:16:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1007_s11150-018-9423-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11150-018-9423-3
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    Keywords

    D13; I18; J22;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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