Is food security finally becoming a national priority?

It was in April last year that The Grocer first revealed a shock whistleblowing memo from a group of industry executives warning the food and drink sector was heading for a supply chain catastrophe.

The explosive claims, signed by 20 senior retailer and manufacturer bosses, warned the UK was facing a food security crisis “like none other we have seen”.

Today, in a fresh document timed to coincide with The Grocer’s Green Week, the group has delivered a scathing critique of the industry’s response to that warning. The no-holds-barred statement is, once again, likely to send ripples of discontent through retail and manufacturing boardrooms.

The group – which contains the same people spearheading sustainability agendas at many of the big food companies – argues that while retailers and suppliers have taken steps to protect supply chains from shortages and price hikes, too much of that action has been driven by “quick-fix crisis management” designed to present the “illusion of resilience”.

Food industry leaders, it says, continue to base too many of their decisions around short-term targets, with executive pay packages reinforcing a focus on financial performance above long-term resilience and futureproofing.

The anonymous whistleblowers claim that after the hottest summer on record, “the cracks are starting to show” in the UK’s food system, which will only widen unless urgent action is taken across the supply chain.

Addressing food security fears

While that warning may seen overdue, The Grocer understands such action could finally be on the cards, with the government preparing to unveil a major new commitment to protect food industry resilience – including a significant push to grow more food in the UK.

The plans will mark a “step change” in efforts to protect the supply chain from threats caused by geopolitical events and climate change, sources said.

It’s understood senior bosses from across grocery retail and manufacturing have been in secret talks with the government over the plans, which are set to be announced within the next few weeks. Sources say Andy Burnham has ordered officials to move much faster to tackle growing concerns over food security.

One leading source described the discussions as a “very live conversation between industry and government”.

“The recent National Audit Office (NAO) report was right to challenge the government and industry on this issue,” the source said. “But I think if they look at this position in the next few weeks and months they will see a very different picture emerging.”

The report in question warned the government risked being “blindsided” by a major food supply emergency, arguing that Defra had not done enough to “encourage businesses, households and communities to strengthen resilience”.

Despite listing food as one of the 13 Critical National Infrastructure sectors, the NAO said it had done “too little” to prepare for the growing challenges posed by cyberattacks, geopolitical turmoil, climate change and potential national power outages.

Although details of the new resilience plans remain under wraps, it is understood the government’s plans will go further than ever before in protecting the food supply chain – and especially the role of UK producers – as a national priority.

“There has been a massive uptick in performance by Defra since the summer,” added the source.

“Resilience has really shot up the agenda and what is being planned represents a real step change.”

The climate clock is ticking

Of course, this is not the first time government has pledged to work with the industry on food resilience. In 2024 Defra and the Food & Drink Sector Council set up a resilience group, chaired by Booths MD Nigel Murray and including supermarket leaders, major suppliers and figures from agriculture and hospitality. It identified food security as a key national priority, but resulted in no concrete plans, until now.

Earlier this year, the government was accused of burying a report by security experts which warned that climate change and extreme weather posed a major threat to the UK’s national security.

Last week foreign secretary Ed Miliband came clean and presented the findings to international leaders, with the report claiming climate events such as El Niño could lead to significant food shortages and devastate global supply chains.

This new willingness to confront the severity of the risks posed by climate change and supply chain vulnerability offers ground for cautious optimism. The outlook may not be quite as bleak as some predict, but the clock is ticking very fast on the need for tangible action.