A rapid evidence assessment of food vouchers as interventions to support vulnerable citizens in advanced economies: understanding the impacts on dietary health and society.

The worldwide cost of living crisis has led to greater levels of social inequalities in nutrition leading to higher numbers of families struggling with food insecurity. There’s a link between food insecurity and low levels of fruit and vegetable purchase and consumption. Food voucher schemes (FVS) - a form of direct food provision – are used in advanced economies to encourage increased FV consumption for low-income pregnant and postpartum women. This rapid evidence assessment (REA) considers two such schemes: the UK government’s Healthy Start scheme (HSS) and the US Special Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) which operate on this basis.

This document was produced as an assignment for the FPM001 Food and Public Policy module undertaken at the Centre for Food Policy, City St Georges, University of London. The document has been written to address a marking criteria and learning outcomes.