A group of 150 experts recently warned the British government that it does not have a plan to feed the population in a crisis. They also stated that the west is entering an era where food disruption and weaponisation are real possibilities.
The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit forecasts that by September 2027, UK food prices are likely to be 50% higher than they were at the start of the cost of living crisis in mid-2021. This scale of increase previously took almost two decades.
The government has encouraged households to stockpile several days' worth of tinned goods and bottled water for emergencies. Experts have called for food supply shortages and disruption to be included as risks in the national security risk assessment and for a dedicated national food council to focus on food security.
The UK imports approximately 40% of its food. Almost 95% of retail food is distributed through 131 food-distribution centres, highlighting a potential vulnerability to disruption.