Estimation of variation of the level of economic affordability of food

Abstract

The work grounds necessity of more detailed information to describe economic affordability of food and its variation in each group of the country’s population. It is suggested to apply indicators of differentiation of consumption of main food products in households, Gini index, coefficients of elasticity of demand on food products in relation to income for estimation of inequality of food resources distribution. The authors show relation between separate criteria of economic affordability of food. Methods of application of the data of selective study of Ukraine’s households in order to determine Gini index, coefficients of elasticity of demand on food in relation to income are described in the article. It has been determined that Gini index that equals 0,05 proves existence of problems in security of economic affordability of food for the whole population. The authors ground reasonability of taking into account only amounts of consumption of bought food in determination of the coefficients of elasticity. During the research, analysis of dynamics of proposed indicators has been carried allowing determination of changes in variation of economic affordability of food for Ukraine’s population. Decrease of differentiation of consumption of separate kinds of food products, but level of expenses on food is still too high for almost all citizens of the country can be remarked.