{"id":{"repo_id":"cambridge","oai_identifier":"oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/397719"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cambridge/oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/397719","repository":{"repo_id":"cambridge","name":"Cambridge University","base_url":"https://api.repository.cam.ac.uk/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Urban informality and food environments: Obesogenicity, business operations, and governance in Cape Town’s informal food retail sector","abstract":"Informal food retail is a central yet understudied component of urban food environments in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While its role in enhancing food access and food security is well documented, less attention has been paid to the types of food sold in these outlets and their implications for diet-related health outcomes, particularly overweight and obesity. Although research on food environments in LMICs is expanding, much of the existing literature overlooks the informal sector, leaving significant gaps in understanding food availability and composition within these retail spaces. To address this, the thesis examines food availability in Cape Town’s informal food retail sector and explores the business operations and food governance dynamics that underpin it. It also considers how these factors shape the obesogenicity of urban food environments, particularly through their influence on dietary behaviours and practices that increase the risk of overweight and obesity. To investigate these dynamics, the study uses Cape Town, South Africa, as a case study to explore the presence of obesogenic foods in informal food retail settings and their potential influence on purchasing and consumption behaviours. It also examines the regulatory landscape and contextual factors that impact business practices and food availability. The study employs a multi-method approach, incorporating a systematic review, food environment audit, and qualitative interviews with informal food retailers and policy actors. Findings from the systematic review revealed that unhealthy, obesogenic foods were widely available at informal outlets located near transport stops, markets, schools, and neighbourhoods. This widespread availability contributed to obesogenic informal food environments across the 30 LMIC studies reviewed. These studies also underscored the dual nature of informal food environments, which offered both healthier and more obesogenic food options. This duality was reflected in the food environment audit conducted at four transport interchanges along the Southern Suburbs’ Main Road transport corridor in Cape Town, where both healthier and more obesogenic foods were present across sites. Qualitative interviews with informal food retailers further showed that their business operations were shaped primarily by consumer demand, as well as infrastructure limitations and financial 4 constraints. Informal food retailers navigated competitive environments in which food offerings were influenced by profitability, supply chains, and storage conditions. Limited refrigeration, storage, and exposure to environmental conditions further affected the types of foods sold. Interviews with key actors, who had demonstrated experience in food systems and security in the Cape Town context, revealed fragmented governance structures. Multiple municipal departments oversaw informal food trade, but there was no coordinated approach to food governance. Existing policies focused mainly on spatial regulation and licensing, with limited recognition of the informal sector's role in shaping urban food environments. This regulatory gap constrained opportunities to leverage informal food retailers to promote healthier diets. Greater policy integration and interdepartmental collaboration could assist in formalising support for informal food retailers, contributing to improved food security and public health outcomes. This thesis makes three key contributions to knowledge. First, it provides empirical evidence on food availability in informal food environments in Cape Town, addressing a critical gap in food environment research in LMICs. Second, it advances understanding of how business operations shape food availability, moving beyond consumer demand as the primary determinant. Third, it integrates governance perspectives into food environment studies, highlighting the role of regulatory frameworks, institutional coordination, and enforcement practices in shaping informal food retail. Collectively, these insights inform policy interventions aimed at strengthening informal food systems and improving urban food environments in LMICs.","abstract_html":"Informal food retail is a central yet understudied component of urban food environments in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While its role in enhancing food access and food security is well documented, less attention has been paid to the types of food sold in these outlets and their implications for diet-related health outcomes, particularly overweight and obesity. Although research on food environments in LMICs is expanding, much of the existing literature overlooks the informal sector, leaving significant gaps in understanding food availability and composition within these retail spaces. To address this, the thesis examines food availability in Cape Town’s informal food retail sector and explores the business operations and food governance dynamics that underpin it. It also considers how these factors shape the obesogenicity of urban food environments, particularly through their influence on dietary behaviours and practices that increase the risk of overweight and obesity. To investigate these dynamics, the study uses Cape Town, South Africa, as a case study to explore the presence of obesogenic foods in informal food retail settings and their potential influence on purchasing and consumption behaviours. It also examines the regulatory landscape and contextual factors that impact business practices and food availability. The study employs a multi-method approach, incorporating a systematic review, food environment audit, and qualitative interviews with informal food retailers and policy actors. Findings from the systematic review revealed that unhealthy, obesogenic foods were widely available at informal outlets located near transport stops, markets, schools, and neighbourhoods. This widespread availability contributed to obesogenic informal food environments across the 30 LMIC studies reviewed. These studies also underscored the dual nature of informal food environments, which offered both healthier and more obesogenic food options. This duality was reflected in the food environment audit conducted at four transport interchanges along the Southern Suburbs’ Main Road transport corridor in Cape Town, where both healthier and more obesogenic foods were present across sites. Qualitative interviews with informal food retailers further showed that their business operations were shaped primarily by consumer demand, as well as infrastructure limitations and financial 4 constraints. Informal food retailers navigated competitive environments in which food offerings were influenced by profitability, supply chains, and storage conditions. Limited refrigeration, storage, and exposure to environmental conditions further affected the types of foods sold. Interviews with key actors, who had demonstrated experience in food systems and security in the Cape Town context, revealed fragmented governance structures. Multiple municipal departments oversaw informal food trade, but there was no coordinated approach to food governance. Existing policies focused mainly on spatial regulation and licensing, with limited recognition of the informal sector's role in shaping urban food environments. This regulatory gap constrained opportunities to leverage informal food retailers to promote healthier diets. Greater policy integration and interdepartmental collaboration could assist in formalising support for informal food retailers, contributing to improved food security and public health outcomes. This thesis makes three key contributions to knowledge. First, it provides empirical evidence on food availability in informal food environments in Cape Town, addressing a critical gap in food environment research in LMICs. Second, it advances understanding of how business operations shape food availability, moving beyond consumer demand as the primary determinant. Third, it integrates governance perspectives into food environment studies, highlighting the role of regulatory frameworks, institutional coordination, and enforcement practices in shaping informal food retail. Collectively, these insights inform policy interventions aimed at strengthening informal food systems and improving urban food environments in LMICs.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Muzenda, Trish"],"institution":"University of Cambridge","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Doctoral","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Oni, Tolu"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-05-03","date_published":"2025-05-03","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:24:14Z","subjects":["Informal food retail","Food environment","obesity","food governance","South Africa"],"languages":["eng"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":["https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/392f78f8-f18e-4f43-b3b8-f5bc9d45682c/download","http://purl.org/NET/rdflicense/allrightsreserved"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.126773","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.doi"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Oni, Tolu"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.sponsor","label":"Sponsor","values":["Vital Strategies Healthy Food Policy Fellowship Scholarship"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Muzenda, Trish"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025-05-03"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Cambridge"]},{"key":"dc:relation.isreferencedby.uri","label":"Dc Relation Isreferencedby URI","values":["https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/397719"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Informal food retail","Food environment","obesity","food governance","South Africa"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/392f78f8-f18e-4f43-b3b8-f5bc9d45682c/download","http://purl.org/NET/rdflicense/allrightsreserved"]},{"key":"dc:rights.embargodate","label":"Dc Rights Embargodate","values":["2027-02-10"]},{"key":"dc:rights.embargotype","label":"Dc Rights Embargotype","values":["embargo"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.126773"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/05113571-a4f6-4a0a-94a3-06741dcf5c71/download"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Informal food retail is a central yet understudied component of urban food environments in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While its role in enhancing food access and food security is well documented, less attention has been paid to the types of food sold in these outlets and their implications for diet-related health outcomes, particularly overweight and obesity. Although research on food environments in LMICs is expanding, much of the existing literature overlooks the informal sector, leaving significant gaps in understanding food availability and composition within these retail spaces. To address this, the thesis examines food availability in Cape Town’s informal food retail sector and explores the business operations and food governance dynamics that underpin it. It also considers how these factors shape the obesogenicity of urban food environments, particularly through their influence on dietary behaviours and practices that increase the risk of overweight and obesity. To investigate these dynamics, the study uses Cape Town, South Africa, as a case study to explore the presence of obesogenic foods in informal food retail settings and their potential influence on purchasing and consumption behaviours. It also examines the regulatory landscape and contextual factors that impact business practices and food availability. The study employs a multi-method approach, incorporating a systematic review, food environment audit, and qualitative interviews with informal food retailers and policy actors. Findings from the systematic review revealed that unhealthy, obesogenic foods were widely available at informal outlets located near transport stops, markets, schools, and neighbourhoods. This widespread availability contributed to obesogenic informal food environments across the 30 LMIC studies reviewed. These studies also underscored the dual nature of informal food environments, which offered both healthier and more obesogenic food options. This duality was reflected in the food environment audit conducted at four transport interchanges along the Southern Suburbs’ Main Road transport corridor in Cape Town, where both healthier and more obesogenic foods were present across sites. Qualitative interviews with informal food retailers further showed that their business operations were shaped primarily by consumer demand, as well as infrastructure limitations and financial 4 constraints. Informal food retailers navigated competitive environments in which food offerings were influenced by profitability, supply chains, and storage conditions. Limited refrigeration, storage, and exposure to environmental conditions further affected the types of foods sold. Interviews with key actors, who had demonstrated experience in food systems and security in the Cape Town context, revealed fragmented governance structures. Multiple municipal departments oversaw informal food trade, but there was no coordinated approach to food governance. Existing policies focused mainly on spatial regulation and licensing, with limited recognition of the informal sector's role in shaping urban food environments. This regulatory gap constrained opportunities to leverage informal food retailers to promote healthier diets. Greater policy integration and interdepartmental collaboration could assist in formalising support for informal food retailers, contributing to improved food security and public health outcomes. This thesis makes three key contributions to knowledge. First, it provides empirical evidence on food availability in informal food environments in Cape Town, addressing a critical gap in food environment research in LMICs. Second, it advances understanding of how business operations shape food availability, moving beyond consumer demand as the primary determinant. Third, it integrates governance perspectives into food environment studies, highlighting the role of regulatory frameworks, institutional coordination, and enforcement practices in shaping informal food retail. Collectively, these insights inform policy interventions aimed at strengthening informal food systems and improving urban food environments in LMICs."]},{"key":"dc:format.checksum.md5","label":"Dc Format Checksum Md5","values":["d9d34e85f314c43119484957653b4990","87eda9de84448d1f82354d60eee3eb5f"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Urban informality and food environments: Obesogenicity, business operations, and governance in Cape Town’s informal food retail sector"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Oni, Tolu"],"dc:contributor.sponsor":["Vital Strategies Healthy Food Policy Fellowship Scholarship"],"dc:creator":["Muzenda, Trish"],"dc:date.issued":["2025-05-03"],"dc:description.abstract":["Informal food retail is a central yet understudied component of urban food environments in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). 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To investigate these dynamics, the study uses Cape Town, South Africa, as a case study to explore the presence of obesogenic foods in informal food retail settings and their potential influence on purchasing and consumption behaviours. It also examines the regulatory landscape and contextual factors that impact business practices and food availability. The study employs a multi-method approach, incorporating a systematic review, food environment audit, and qualitative interviews with informal food retailers and policy actors. Findings from the systematic review revealed that unhealthy, obesogenic foods were widely available at informal outlets located near transport stops, markets, schools, and neighbourhoods. This widespread availability contributed to obesogenic informal food environments across the 30 LMIC studies reviewed. These studies also underscored the dual nature of informal food environments, which offered both healthier and more obesogenic food options. This duality was reflected in the food environment audit conducted at four transport interchanges along the Southern Suburbs’ Main Road transport corridor in Cape Town, where both healthier and more obesogenic foods were present across sites. Qualitative interviews with informal food retailers further showed that their business operations were shaped primarily by consumer demand, as well as infrastructure limitations and financial 4 constraints. Informal food retailers navigated competitive environments in which food offerings were influenced by profitability, supply chains, and storage conditions. Limited refrigeration, storage, and exposure to environmental conditions further affected the types of foods sold. Interviews with key actors, who had demonstrated experience in food systems and security in the Cape Town context, revealed fragmented governance structures. Multiple municipal departments oversaw informal food trade, but there was no coordinated approach to food governance. Existing policies focused mainly on spatial regulation and licensing, with limited recognition of the informal sector's role in shaping urban food environments. This regulatory gap constrained opportunities to leverage informal food retailers to promote healthier diets. Greater policy integration and interdepartmental collaboration could assist in formalising support for informal food retailers, contributing to improved food security and public health outcomes. This thesis makes three key contributions to knowledge. First, it provides empirical evidence on food availability in informal food environments in Cape Town, addressing a critical gap in food environment research in LMICs. Second, it advances understanding of how business operations shape food availability, moving beyond consumer demand as the primary determinant. Third, it integrates governance perspectives into food environment studies, highlighting the role of regulatory frameworks, institutional coordination, and enforcement practices in shaping informal food retail. Collectively, these insights inform policy interventions aimed at strengthening informal food systems and improving urban food environments in LMICs."],"dc:format.checksum.md5":["d9d34e85f314c43119484957653b4990","87eda9de84448d1f82354d60eee3eb5f"],"dc:identifier.doi":["https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.126773"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/05113571-a4f6-4a0a-94a3-06741dcf5c71/download"],"dc:language":["eng"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Cambridge"],"dc:relation.isreferencedby.uri":["https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/397719"],"dc:rights":["https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/392f78f8-f18e-4f43-b3b8-f5bc9d45682c/download","http://purl.org/NET/rdflicense/allrightsreserved"],"dc:rights.embargodate":["2027-02-10"],"dc:rights.embargotype":["embargo"],"dc:subject":["Informal food retail","Food environment","obesity","food governance","South Africa"],"dc:title":["Urban informality and food environments: Obesogenicity, business operations, and governance in Cape Town’s informal food retail sector"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Doctoral"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:24:14Z"}