Methodology

The editorial work published here is developed using a mixed methodology that combines economic reasoning, journalistic practice, and close observation of everyday food systems. The aim is not to produce original empirical research in an academic sense, but to interpret and connect existing evidence in ways that are relevant to lived conditions.

Each piece begins with a clearly defined question or point of tension. This may emerge from observed changes in prices, availability, policy decisions, seasonal shifts, or household practices. Analysis is then built through secondary research, structural interpretation, and grounded observation, with attention to how different forces interact over time.

Economic concepts are used as analytical tools rather than as abstract theory. Ideas such as scarcity, value, coordination, risk, and constraint are applied to real situations to clarify how food systems operate in practice. Where assumptions are made, they are stated openly, and analysis remains descriptive rather than prescriptive.

Journalistic methods inform the work throughout. This includes comparing sources, situating evidence within context, and maintaining a clear distinction between evidence, interpretation, and observation. When lived experience or everyday practice is referenced, it is treated as situated insight rather than representative data, used to illustrate how systems are encountered rather than to generalise outcomes.

Seasonal change is treated as a material condition rather than a theme. Patterns in cost, supply, labour demand, and household planning are examined across time, with attention to how these shifts interact with income, geography, work patterns, and access. This approach allows food to be analysed as a system under varying pressure rather than as a static subject.