Needs of beneficiaries related to the format and content of food parcels in Ghent, Belgium

Purpose As food aid is still for a great part dependent upon the donation of food surplus and as the number of persons relying on food charities is increasing, it is important to further investigate which donation system responds best to the needs of the beneficiaries. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the needs regarding the format and content of the food parcels in a selected social service in Ghent, Belgium. The format relates to how the food parcels are distributed, the content to the usability of the food products and whether additional products currently not offered are required by the beneficiaries. Design/methodology/approach The research is based on a qualitative study at a selected food charity in Ghent, using a semi-structured in-depth interview with 30 respondents who receive food parcels. Findings The food parcel beneficiaries report the need for freedom of choice regarding the offered food products (format). Fixed food parcels should be avoided. Also a need for more vegetables, milk, fresh (halal) meat and meat products was expressed (content), even though the charity purchased a great deal of additional standard food products to provide nutritious and varied food parcels. It should be further investigated whether other donation systems such as social groceries or restaurants meet the needs of the beneficiaries to a greater extent, or whether certain adjustments such as purchasing even more standard food products are possible to uphold. Originality/value To the authors' knowledge this research is one of the first scientific studies addressing the needs of food parcel receivers in Belgium. It forms a basis for investigating which type of food donation answers best to the needs of the beneficiaries in Belgium or in other countries.