The government is to unveil a major new commitment to protect food industry resilience including a focus on growing more food in the UK, The Grocer understands.
The move, following scathing criticism of the government’s record in protecting food chain security, will see a “step change” in the commitment to take action to protect the supply chain from geopolitical events and climate change, sources said.
It’s understood food bosses from retail and manufacturing have been locked in talks with the government on the plan, which is set to be announced within the next few weeks. Andy Burnham’s government is said to have ordered officials to move much faster to tackle fears over food security.
A leading source told The Grocer there was a “very live conversation between industry and government”.
“The recent National Audit Office report was right to challenge the government and industry, but I think if they look at this position in the next few weeks and months they will see a very different picture emerging,” he said.
A damning report by the NAO in September warned the government risked being “blindsided” by a major food supply emergency because Defra had failed to “encourage businesses, households and communities to strengthen resilience”.
While the government had designated food as one of 13 Critical National Infrastructure sectors essential for the country to function properly, it had done “too little” to prepare for the growing challenges posed by cyberattacks, geopolitical turmoil, climate change and potential national power outages, the NAO added.
Details of the new plans are under wraps, but it is understood Defra’s plans will go further than ever before to classify protecting the food supply chain and UK producers in particular 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 moves come as a group of senior executives from major UK food suppliers and retailers this week claimed the industry has responded to the climate crisis by resorting to “quick-fix crisis management” to present the “illusion of resilience”.
In a damning new intervention, the group has warned short-term thinking in food industry boardrooms is leading to higher prices in shops and shortages of healthy food options.
It has accused companies of stepping away from the action needed to create strategic long-term solutions to the climate challenge, with disastrous consequences for the supply chain and consumers.
The accusation comes from the same group of whistleblowers who rocked the industry in April last year with a memo warning the sector was heading for an economic disaster bigger than the pandemic. It claimed companies’ resilience planning was based on “wishful thinking” and “false reassurances” to investors.
The group includes around 20 executives from major UK producers, manufacturers and retailers, as well as the British arms of global firms.
They warn that the content of the NAO report on the risks to the food chain of climate change is now coming to fruition.
Estelle Herszenhorn, director of food system transformation at Wrap, said: “Inside Track has revealed a failing in many UK food businesses – barriers to shifting from crisis management to structural change. We have two proven levers ready for investment to scale, right now, that will reduce stresses on our food system and create long-term resilience: cutting food waste and protecting water sources.
“A food system where 10 million tonnes of food is wasted each year, mostly in our homes and costing the average household of four £1,000 a year, simply cannot be resilient in the long term.”
No comments yet