The role of food charity in Italy

This chapter forms the land case study for Italy. As with all empirical chapters it explores several key themes in relation to food charity in Italy: • the history of food charity in the national context and the relationship between the welfare state and charities; • the nature of and drivers behind contemporary food charity provision; • key changes in social policy and their impact on rising charitable food provision; • and the social justice implications of increasing need for charitable assistance with food. The chapter concludes with critical reflections on the future direction of food charity provision in Italy and the implications of this.

Introduction: exploring the growth of food charity across Europe

This chapter sets out the key issues with which the book engages. It highlights the range of disparate evidence which is emerging on the rise of food charity from various academic sources across Europe. It discusses the urgent need for a comprehensive and rigorous comparative study of this phenomenon. It sets out the comparative concepts used by authors throughout the book notably food charity, food and poverty. It goes on to examine debates around social and human rights and the role of food waste in food charity, before discussing of the utility of understanding food charity as part of the ‘charity economy’. It ends with an outline of the rest of the book including the methodological approach adopted across the empirical chapters.

Conclusion: food charity in Europe

This final chapter provides a comparative analysis of several key themes across the case studies. These are: the nature and scale of food charity in Europe; relationships between changes in welfare provision and the growth of food charity and the shifting role of charity more generally across the cases; the role of food supply in shaping food charity; and the social justice implications of changing welfare states and the growth of food charity. The chapter ends by setting out the implications of this evidence base for future research and policy analysis.

New frames for food charity in Finland

This chapter forms the land case study for Finland. As with all empirical chapters it explores several key themes in relation to food charity in Finland: • the history of food charity in the national context and the relationship between the welfare state and charities; • the nature of and drivers behind contemporary food charity provision; • key changes in social policy and their impact on rising charitable food provision; • and the social justice implications of increasing need for charitable assistance with food. The chapter concludes with critical reflections on the future direction of food charity provision in Finland and the implications of this.

Food banks and the UK welfare state

This chapter forms the land case study for the UK. As with all empirical chapters it explores several key themes in relation to food charity in the UK: • the history of food charity in the national context and the relationship between the welfare state and charities; • the nature of and drivers behind contemporary food charity provision; • key changes in social policy and their impact on rising charitable food provision; • and the social justice implications of increasing need for charitable assistance with food. The chapter concludes with critical reflections on the future direction of food charity provision in the UK and the implications of this.

Food banks in the Netherlands stepping up to the plate: shifting moral and practical responsibilities

This chapter forms the land case study for the Netherlands. As with all empirical chapters it explores several key themes in relation to food charity in the Netherlands: • the history of food charity in the national context and the relationship between the welfare state and charities; • the nature of and drivers behind contemporary food charity provision; • key changes in social policy and their impact on rising charitable food provision; • and the social justice implications of increasing need for charitable assistance with food. The chapter concludes with critical reflections on the future direction of food charity provision in the Netherlands and the implications of this.

Social exclusion and food assistance in Germany

This chapter forms the land case study for Germany. As with all empirical chapters it explores several key themes in relation to food charity in Germany: • the history of food charity in the national context and the relationship between the welfare state and charities; • the nature of and drivers behind contemporary food charity provision; • key changes in social policy and their impact on rising charitable food provision; • and the social justice implications of increasing need for charitable assistance with food. The chapter concludes with critical reflections on the future direction of food charity provision in Germany and the implications of this.

Food aid in post-crisis Spain: a test for this welfare state model

This chapter forms the land case study for Spain. As with all empirical chapters it explores several key themes in relation to food charity in Spain: • the history of food charity in the national context and the relationship between the welfare state and charities; • the nature of and drivers behind contemporary food charity provision; • key changes in social policy and their impact on rising charitable food provision; • and the social justice implications of increasing need for charitable assistance with food. The chapter concludes with critical reflections on the future direction of food charity provision in the Spain and the implications of this.

Redistributing waste food to reduce poverty in Slovenia

This chapter forms the land case study for Slovenia. As with all empirical chapters it explores several key themes in relation to food charity in Slovenia: • the history of food charity in the national context and the relationship between the welfare state and charities; • the nature of and drivers behind contemporary food charity provision; • key changes in social policy and their impact on rising charitable food provision; • and the social justice implications of increasing need for charitable assistance with food. The chapter concludes with critical reflections on the future direction of food charity provision in the Slovenia and the implications of this.