Among 8,980 adults on a minimum income, a loss of 0.1 QALY per person amounts to 898 QALYs per year, about €44.9 million. The MKBA by New Economy values this at €50,000 per QALY. The figure makes the health cost of food insecurity concrete. Without a calculation, the social value of informal food initiatives stays invisible, while the cost of inaction keeps rising.
A social cost-benefit analysis values the network’s benefits against public spending and avoidable social costs. This is relevant for municipalities, city districts and organisations working on food security, poverty and public health.