Study on the Distribution of Fresh Food Support System—An Example of Shanghai during the Epidemic Closure of 2022

• Main Authors: Fu, M.-J (Author), Wang, J. (Author)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI 2023
• Subjects: basic material supply system; epidemic closure; sustainability; urban resilience
• Online Access: View Fulltext in Publisher; View in Scopus

 One of the key indicators to measure the sustainability and resilience of a city during a public health crisis is how well it can meet the daily needs of its residents. During the COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai in 2022, e-commerce shopping and delivery became the most important method for ensuring the city’s material supplies. This article uses the distribution data of a fresh e-commerce platform’s pre-warehouse and static population distribution data to establish a basic material supply system evaluation model for the city and explore its resilience potential. Focusing on the central urban area of Shanghai, this study uses a population heat map with geographic coordinates to reflect the static distribution of residents and obtains the distribution data of the e-commerce pre-warehouses. Using kernel density analysis, the relationship between the pre-warehouses and the residents’ needs is established. Through analysis, it was found that the supply capacity of fresh food in different areas of Shanghai during the lockdown could be categorized as insufficient, adequate, or excessive. Based on these three categories, improvement strategies were proposed. Finally, this article suggests establishing a scientific supply security system to promote urban sustainability and prepare for future challenges. © 2023 by the authors.