Using Scanner Data for Food Policy Research

A guide for researchers and policymakers seeking to use food scanner data and advanced econometric techniques to create and improve food policy

Mary K. Muth (Author), Abigail Okrent (Author), Chen Zhen (Author), Shawn Karns (Author)

9780128145074, Elsevier Science

Paperback, published 15 October 2019

342 pages
22.9 x 15.1 x 2.2 cm, 0.43 kg

Using Scanner Data for Food Policy Research is a practitioners’ guide to using and interpreting scanner data obtained from stores and households in policy research. It provides practical advice for using the data and interpreting their results. It helps the reader address key methodological issues such as aggregation, constructing price indices, and matching the data to nutrient values. It demonstrates some of the key econometric and statistical applications of the data, including estimating demand systems for policy simulation, analyzing effects of food access on food choices, and conducting cost-benefit analysis of food policies.

1. What is Scanner Data and why is it Useful for Food Policy Research? 2. Sources of Scanner Data across the Globe3. Label and nutrition data at the barcode level4. Methodological Approaches in Using Scanner Data5. Insights from past research using scanner data6. Application: Estimating food demand systems using scanner data7. Application: Measuring the food environment using scanner data8. Application: Conducting cost-benefit analysis using scanner and label data

Subject Areas: Agriculture & related industries [KNAC], Environmental economics [KCN]