During April, Frej Hertz, PhD Student from Roskilde University, is guest researcher at Center for Consumer Science. He studies how households uses food-box subscriptions. His research is a part of the international project FOCAS (Food, Convenience and Stainability), partly hosted by CFK.
Tell us about your research.
The FOCAS project examines the contested category of convenience food through four European case studies of processed baby-food, supermarket ready-meals, work-place food and food-box schemes. I am working on the Danish part of the project which focuses on the food habits and understandings of Danish households who subscribe to meal-box schemes.
You will be working on a research article here in Gothenburg, what is it about?
I will be working on my first article during my stay in Gothenburg. The aim of the article is to report on some of the results on how families understand and use meal box schemes in their everyday life with a specific focus on the concept of convenience food. I plan to discuss if the meal box schemes can be understood as a new kind of convenience food?
Can it?
The answer depends on the definition of convenience used. So far my study suggest that, a broad definition seem to be able to contain meal box schemes within its frame.
Why is this an important area to study?
There are several reasons. One of the main reasons is that my project contributes to a better understanding of specific kinds of consumption. The knowledge generated in the project can help different kinds of initiatives that aim to reduce waste and pollution.
Why did you become interested in this field?
It was something of a coincidence that I got to work with consumption. A position as a research assistant suddenly became vacant at my university. I grabbed the opportunity which led to the position I’m in today.