Ratio of income share held by the highest 20% to lowest 20%

Calculation

Quotient of income share held by highest 20%/income share held by lowest 20%

Definition

Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of the population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.

Relevance

Income inequality can be both a driver and a consequence of food systems. As a driver, inequality can play into food production systems, food environments, and individual factors that influence access to food. However, food systems can also contribute to income inequality through skewed distribution of the value of food across the supply chain (producers assume more risk and less of the revenue than distributors or retailers).