Public food programmes are a powerful tool for food sovereignty, if done right by FIAN, GRAIN & StreetNet International | 9 Apr 2026 Supermarket Watch To unlock the true potential of public food programmes, we must build on existing local food networks. This ‘Supermarket watch’ edition looks at the importance of involving street and market vendors and the challenges faced by public food programmes in India and Indonesia. To unlock the true potential of public food programmes, we must build on existing local food networks. This ‘Supermarket watch’ edition looks at the importance of involving street and market vendors and the challenges faced by public food programmes in India and Indonesia.
Data is power: understanding the complexities of violence against women street vendors by FIAN, GRAIN & StreetNet International | 3 Dec 2025 Supermarket Watch The data detailed by the Street Vendors Barometer paints a grim reality, yet it might also help change it. The participatory research carried out by it is meant to visibilise and empower women vendors and market traders facing gender-based violence. Participatory research transforms women vendors from subjects of the research into equal partners of the process, which generates lived-based data to expose the gendered aspects of economic exclusion. The data detailed by the Street Vendors Barometer paints a grim reality, yet it might also help change it. The participatory research carried out by it is meant to visibilise and empower women vendors and market traders facing gender-based violence. Participatory research transforms women vendors from subjects of the research into equal partners of the process, which generates lived-based data to expose the gendered aspects of economic exclusion.
The health and nutritional costs of supermarkets by FIAN, GRAIN & StreetNet International | 4 Sep 2025 Supermarket Watch As supermarkets expand, traditional food systems shrink, endangering heritage diets and the benefits they offer to human health. In this edition, we highlight how local food systems should be the entry point for addressing issues like nutrition, labour conditions, and community strengthening. As supermarkets expand, traditional food systems shrink, endangering heritage diets and the benefits they offer to human health. In this edition, we highlight how local food systems should be the entry point for addressing issues like nutrition, labour conditions, and community strengthening.
Solidarity, not exploitation: we stand with food workers from farm to table by FIAN, GRAIN & StreetNet International | 29 May 2025 Supermarket Watch From Argentina’s grassroots food networks to Sri Lanka’s united street vendors to Africa’s cross-border solidarity—food workers are organising for justice. Their needs must be central. Our food sovereignty depends on it. We celebrate their resistance. From Argentina’s grassroots food networks to Sri Lanka’s united street vendors to Africa’s cross-border solidarity—food workers are organising for justice. Their needs must be central. Our food sovereignty depends on it. We celebrate their resistance.
No food sovereignty if food distribution is in corporate hands by FIAN, GRAIN & StreetNet International | 27 Feb 2025 Supermarket Watch Food sovereignty is clearly not only about food production-- about who produces food and how food is produced. It requires access to affordable, nutritious and culturally appropriate food, and so, we cannot talk about food sovereignty without talking about food distribution-- about who distributes food and how is it distributed. Food sovereignty is clearly not only about food production-- about who produces food and how food is produced. It requires access to affordable, nutritious and culturally appropriate food, and so, we cannot talk about food sovereignty without talking about food distribution-- about who distributes food and how is it distributed.
The bulletin is going global! by GRAIN | 5 Dec 2024 Supermarket Watch The supermarketisation of food markets is not only happening in Asia. It is already well advanced in the Americas and Europe, and is now slowly spreading in Africa, from South Africa and a few countries in North Africa to the rest of the continent. Supermarkets do not just push out traditional, local markets. They have dramatic impacts on people's diets and the ways in which foods are produced. The supermarketisation of food markets is not only happening in Asia. It is already well advanced in the Americas and Europe, and is now slowly spreading in Africa, from South Africa and a few countries in North Africa to the rest of the continent. Supermarkets do not just push out traditional, local markets. They have dramatic impacts on people's diets and the ways in which foods are produced.
Where do you get your food from? by GRAIN | 28 Aug 2024 Supermarket Watch As we’ve seen in many examples highlighted in our previous bulletins, local or territorial markets are far more resilient than the corporate models. They are rooted in communities, landscapes, and cultures. IPES's latest report brings much evidence to show how these shorter food webs and markets are key in ensuring food and nutrition access, including to lower income communities. As we’ve seen in many examples highlighted in our previous bulletins, local or territorial markets are far more resilient than the corporate models. They are rooted in communities, landscapes, and cultures. IPES's latest report brings much evidence to show how these shorter food webs and markets are key in ensuring food and nutrition access, including to lower income communities.
Food hygiene guidelines in traditional markets: A hurdle for local markets and street vendors? by GRAIN | 29 May 2024 Supermarket Watch Given the large scope of traditional markets globally, important questions arise from a recent UN initiative. What would food hygiene control measures mean for the local traders and street food vendors, given that traditional markets and street vendors are mostly informal and unstructured? Given the large scope of traditional markets globally, important questions arise from a recent UN initiative. What would food hygiene control measures mean for the local traders and street food vendors, given that traditional markets and street vendors are mostly informal and unstructured?
Plastic waste in the food system: corporations continue to binge on single-use plastic while local shops and hawkers find alternatives by GRAIN | 27 Feb 2024 Supermarket Watch In this edition we see how in India and China, local markets and street food vendors in Asia that operate outside the corporate system are already finding creative ways to reduce their plastic waste and develop solutions that support people's livelihoods and food needs. In this edition we see how in India and China, local markets and street food vendors in Asia that operate outside the corporate system are already finding creative ways to reduce their plastic waste and develop solutions that support people's livelihoods and food needs.
Challenging e-commerce monopolisation in food distribution by GRAIN | 29 Nov 2023 Supermarket Watch E-commerce continues to expand rapidly into food distribution and retail across Asia, speeding up corporate control. These digital platforms increase the pricing power corporations have over farmers and enable them to bring workers in the food system under the control of invisible command centers. E-commerce continues to expand rapidly into food distribution and retail across Asia, speeding up corporate control. These digital platforms increase the pricing power corporations have over farmers and enable them to bring workers in the food system under the control of invisible command centers.
Social protection for market traders and street vendors in an era of pension fund capitalism by GRAIN | 31 Aug 2023 Supermarket Watch Following the work of many others who have been organising and working with market traders and street vendors, two important issues come to the forefront: one is the fight against harassments and evictions of small food traders; the other is the fight for social protection such as access to health services and income security. Following the work of many others who have been organising and working with market traders and street vendors, two important issues come to the forefront: one is the fight against harassments and evictions of small food traders; the other is the fight for social protection such as access to health services and income security.
Beyond the ‘informal economy’ of food distribution by GRAIN | 29 May 2023 Supermarket Watch Some have adopted terms like “solidarity economy” or “people’s sector” to more accurately convey the important role that the workers of the so-called "informal sector" play in the local economy and their key contribution in providing food to everyone. In this edition of the bulletin, we share stories of resilient Palestinian women farmers producing food boxes and of farmers in Laos using strategies to market their products in the face of a fuel price spike. Some have adopted terms like “solidarity economy” or “people’s sector” to more accurately convey the important role that the workers of the so-called "informal sector" play in the local economy and their key contribution in providing food to everyone. In this edition of the bulletin, we share stories of resilient Palestinian women farmers producing food boxes and of farmers in Laos using strategies to market their products in the face of a fuel price spike.
The need for regulations that protect street vendors from extortion, harassment and evictions by GRAIN | 2 Mar 2023 Supermarket Watch Street vendors are not just a common sight in Asian cities, they are essential to the local economy and food systems. Failure to support street vendors would not only harm their livelihoods but also negatively impact the economy as a whole. Street vendors are not just a common sight in Asian cities, they are essential to the local economy and food systems. Failure to support street vendors would not only harm their livelihoods but also negatively impact the economy as a whole.
One-fifth of total food system emissions comes from global food miles by GRAIN | 7 Dec 2022 Supermarket Watch In this edition of Supermarket Asia Bulletin: One-fifth of total food system emissions comes from global food miles; Is the ‘solidarity economy’ an alternative for China’s urban food supply?; Make Amazon Pay coalition kicks off a new wave of Black Friday strikes and protests; Can Japan feed itself?...And more! In this edition of Supermarket Asia Bulletin: One-fifth of total food system emissions comes from global food miles; Is the ‘solidarity economy’ an alternative for China’s urban food supply?; Make Amazon Pay coalition kicks off a new wave of Black Friday strikes and protests; Can Japan feed itself?...And more!
The urgency to localise food supplies by GRAIN | 31 Aug 2022 Supermarket Watch The localising of food systems offers an important way out of the current corporate domination. World Localisation Day aims to scale back food and economic structures to the level of communities–allowing regions and locales to maintain a steady supply of food for themselves while neoliberal economic forces are kept out. The localising of food systems offers an important way out of the current corporate domination. World Localisation Day aims to scale back food and economic structures to the level of communities–allowing regions and locales to maintain a steady supply of food for themselves while neoliberal economic forces are kept out.