A turn to the market: a magical solution but is it practically adequate? : The impact of a market oriented food policy

Abstract

This paper attempts to explore the impact of a market oriented food policy on the vegetable sector in England. Since the publication of The Curry Report in 2002, policy has turned to the market, and to better marketing, to transform a farming sector beset by crises into a sustainable food supply system. This was to be achieved with a sprinkling of marketing magic to transform inward-looking producers into competitive, sustainable and diverse rural businesses. On the consumption side, policy aimed to encourage individuals to adopt diets rich in vegetables (and fruit), for health and to lower environmental impact (2010). Marketing practices, criticised in many other contexts for fetishizing commodities (Williams, 1980) would transform humble vegetables into objects of desire and encourage more consumption. Our research suggests that a policy based on market reconnection has had mixed results in terms of encouraging increased production and consumption of vegetables and we question whether a market oriented policy has been practically adequate (i.e. works in the real world) in achieving policy goals.