A recent report from the Institute for Local Self Reliance indicates that food deserts are increasingly common in the United States. The organization released an interactive map detailing these areas, defined by limited access to supermarkets in low-income regions. This trend stems from challenges faced by independent grocers since the 1980s.
The Institute for Local Self Reliance (ILSR) has published data showing food deserts spreading across America. An interactive map highlights their locations nationwide. For urban areas, ILSR defines a food desert as a low-income census tract where at least 500 residents or 33% of the population reside more than one mile from the nearest supermarket, large grocery store, or supercenter. In rural settings, this distance extends to 10 miles.
The Ohio Capitol Journal noted that in Ohio, most food deserts occur in rural regions, though urban spots exist too. For instance, eight contiguous census tracts east and just north of downtown Columbus qualify as deserts.
ILSR attributes this expansion to insufficient federal enforcement of a Depression-era antitrust law, which mandates uniform pricing and terms from suppliers to retailers. This issue gained traction in the 1980s, pressuring independent grocers with rising wholesale costs. "As independent grocers faced steadily higher wholesale costs, they were forced to raise their prices. Shoppers — especially in low-income and working-class neighborhoods, where people could least afford to pay more — were increasingly pushed toward the big chains," ILSR stated in its report.
Consequently, independent grocers' market share dropped from over 50% in the early 1980s to about 25% today. This shift occurs amid broader challenges like food inflation and climate impacts on crops, such as a recent hailstorm in Malta that damaged carrots, marrow, strawberries, cabbage, cauliflowers, potatoes, and leafy greens. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that 30-40% of the food supply is wasted, further elevating prices.
Efforts to address food deserts include community initiatives, such as those by a South Los Angeles resident known as the Gangsta Gardener, who converts unused land into food forests and has influenced laws easing public space gardening. Online platforms like Martie also help by selling overstock groceries at discounts up to 80%.