The UK could experience a 'food supply crisis', here's what we know

Updated on December 9, 2022 at 3:27 PM

by Matthew Hillier

Food shortages in the UK could soon need the government to step in, say farmers’ union.

The UK could be ‘sleepwalking’ into a food supply crisis. Here’s what we know

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has warned that the UK is ‘sleepwalking’ into a food crisis as the cost of fuel, fertiliser and animal feed continues to escalate.

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The NFU has urged the government to step in and assist primary producers, warning that the recent egg shortage could just be the start of a crisis that will impact multiple farming sectors.

Emergency press conference

The announcement came from Union president, Minette Batters, ahead of an emergency press conference on Tuesday, December 6, which sought to address food supply issues. Batters stated, as per the Evening Standard:

Shoppers up and down the country have for decades had a guaranteed supply of high-quality affordable food produced to some of the highest animal welfare, environmental and food safety standards in the world.

thumbnail — The UK could be ‘sleepwalking’ into a food supply crisis Bloomberg - Getty Images

But British food is under threat… at a time when global volatility is threatening the stability of the world’s food production, food security and energy security.

We need the government and the wider supply chain to act now - tomorrow could well be too late.

Foods impacted

The NFU believes that tomatoes, cucumbers and pears could be among the foods most affected by supply problems as they all come from energy-intensive crops.

In response, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has insisted that Britain has a high level of food security ‘built on supply from diverse sources’. This includes strong domestic production as well as food imported through reliable trade routes. Downing Street also commented that the public can feel reassured by the country's 'large and highly resilient food chain', as per Sky News.

The comments come after supermarkets put temporary limits on eggbuying last month, though this was also a product of the avian flu outbreak. In addition, food price inflation is expected to reach a peak year-on-year of between 17% and 19% in early 2023, according to the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD).

Sources used:

- Evening Standard'The UK is ‘sleepwalking’ into a food supply crisis, farmers union warns'

- Sky News 'Egg shortages 'could just be the start' as UK is 'sleepwalking' into food supply crisis, farmers union warns'