We are living in unprecedented times. In January, a UK government report linked national security to ecosystem breakdown and climate change. It warned that, if faced with competition for natural resources and food, the UK would be unable to feed itself given our reliance on imports for around 40% of our food. It said a “wholesale” shift in what we eat and grow is needed to reduce this risk and build resilience.
At Eating Better – an alliance of over 70 food organisations – we know this has public support, with 66% of people surveyed in 2025 claiming to be willing to reduce their meat consumption.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s tariffs are already highlighting the vulnerability of global food supply chains to geopolitical tensions, while a record-breaking hot and dry summer last year is estimated to have cost our farmers £828m. In this context, people in the UK are suffering: the cost of food rose by almost 39% between November 2020 and November 2025, putting pressure on household budgets and deepening health inequalities. Analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit also shows that foods hit by extreme weather are rising four times faster.
So what options does the UK government have to address these issues?
A step in the right direction
A clear opportunity lies in delivering a strong and ambitious food strategy – a process the government began last summer when it launched the ‘Good Food Cycle’.
This commitment to reversing the ‘junk food cycle’ was widely welcomed as an important first step in joining the dots across the food system. It recognised that “stronger, more resilient food supply chains protect Britain from potential disruptions and strengthen our national security”, while also ensuring everyone can afford healthy food, which “drives our health mission by helping people stay well and reducing pressure on the NHS”.
At Eating Better, we see this as a step in the right direction and a long-overdue commitment to raising the profile of food on the political agenda.
To support the government in this work, we wrote to secretary of state Emma Reynolds in December and published 17 recommendations as part of the broader Food Strategy Alliance. This alliance includes Sustain, Obesity Health Alliance, Wildlife and Countryside Link, and Plant-Based Food Alliance.
Together, our members represent more than 160 organisations across the food and farming sectors, and the recommendations span the full food system – from production through to consumption.
Among other measures, we called on the UK government to: introduce a food bill to support cross-government action; strengthen the sustainable farming budget; develop a sustainable horticultural growth strategy; reform public sector food; and improve supply chain fairness and transparency.
We believe all of these measures would enable a transition towards a food system in the UK where less and better meat and more plants in diets can become the norm.
Potential for change
It’s evident that progressive food policy is good for economic growth, supporting the government in its ambitions to grow the economy. Research from the Food Foundation shows that increasing fibre and fruit & veg consumption, while also decreasing consumption of meat and HFSS foods, can save 6,000 lives and reduce the total years living with disability by 28,857 every year.
A strong food strategy can also enable farmers to invest in nature-friendly farming practices and allow retailers and manufacturers to invest in product development with confidence, helping more people to eat healthily.
We’re expecting to see a proposed action plan for the government’s food strategy this spring, but what it will contain remains unclear.
This cannot be another strategy that sits on a shelf, or simply says the right things but has no teeth for delivery. This food strategy has the potential, if it’s done right, to address interlinked challenges right across our food and farming system. To avert empty supermarket shelves, drought-ridden crops, farmers going out of business, and UK families struggling to access and afford enough nutritious food.
The public deserves better than the status quo.
Andrew Stark is senior research and policy manager at Eating Better
No comments yet