These researchers recorded the cost of both a typical basket of food and a hypothetical healthy and sustainable (H&S) basket in five neighbourhoods that differed by food sub-systems, socioeconomic levels and household income levels in Greater Western Sydney, Australia. The affordability of the baskets was determined across household income quintiles. In all five neighbourhoods, the cost of the H&S basket was more than the typical basket. The most socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhood spent proportionately more (30%) to buy the H&S basket. Within household income levels, the greatest inequity was found in the middle income neighbourhood, with households in the lowest income quintile having to spend up to 48% of their weekly income to buy the H&S basket, while households in the highest income quintile would have to spend significantly less of their weekly income (9%).
