Major supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Waitrose, and Co-op have written to the Prime Minister warning of a food supply shortage caused by heatwaves and wildfires across Europe. The letter, coordinated by the Food Foundation charity, also received support from food producers such as Greencore and Danone, and organisations including Barnardo's, Amnesty International UK, and WWF.
Reliance on imports and domestic decline
The Food Foundation charity warns that the UK is becoming more reliant on imported fruit and vegetables, while domestic production is falling. Wildfires in Spain, Portugal, and France, along with extreme heat in the UK, are putting production at risk.
Anna Taylor, the Food Foundation's executive director, said the UK food system is "dangerously exposed to shocks far beyond our borders." The letter stated: "The next food shock is not a question of if, but when. To meet it prepared, food has to stop being an afterthought for the Government."
Three simultaneous crises
The letter highlighted three crises: the food supply is vulnerable to disruptions from environmental factors, disasters, and geopolitical instability; food costs are rising faster than household earnings; and health problems linked to poor diets, especially child obesity, are increasing. It emphasised that access to fresh fruit and vegetables is necessary for a nutritious diet.
Ms Taylor noted that British farmers are struggling to maintain production due to rising input costs and extreme weather harming harvests.
Industry leaders call for action
Sainsbury's chief executive Simon Roberts said: "Recent weeks have shown just how much pressure our food system is under. We need a more resilient food system that attracts investment, backs British farmers and helps keep affordable, nutritious food on tables across the nation."
Andrew Selley, who leads foodservice wholesaler Bidfood, said: "As a foodservice wholesaler, we're all too familiar with the risks and challenges of resilient food supply, from our network of UK fruit and vegetable growers who are dealing firsthand with all the challenges outlined in this letter, to the price increases that are experienced by both our public and private sector customers."
Proposed Good Food Bill
The signatories are calling for a Good Food Bill that would introduce legally binding targets, including reducing childhood obesity rates and significantly increasing the proportion of fruit and vegetables grown domestically.
