UK has not done enough to prepare for shocks to food supplies, says watchdog
The National Audit Office (NAO) has warned that the UK government has not done enough to prepare the country's food supply chain for growing risks such as the climate crisis, disease outbreaks and cyber-attacks. The public spending watchdog is calling on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to work more closely with households, communities and businesses so that food supplies can withstand shocks that are becoming more frequent and severe. This matters because Britain relies on imports for over a third of its food, much of it funnelled through just four ports, leaving the system exposed to disruption.
The NAO found that although Defra had taken some steps to improve resilience, it had communicated less with industry since the Covid-19 pandemic and had limited input from businesses when drawing up contingency plans. The last major national exercise testing preparedness took place in 2023 but excluded most supply chain firms, while local resilience forums said they lacked clarity on what would be expected of them in an emergency. Food industry groups want cold stores and transport hubs added to the government's list of critical national infrastructure to guarantee their power supply, and the Cold Chain Federation has previously accused ministers of "complacency" on the issue. NAO head Gareth Davies said Defra should learn from other countries and test plans jointly with local government and industry.
In short
- NAO says UK food supply chain isn't resilient enough to future shocks
- Defra criticised for weak industry engagement and outdated 2023 test exercise
- Industry wants cold stores, transport hubs added to critical infrastructure list
Explained simply
The UK’s food supply depends on farms, food producers, transport networks, storage facilities and shops working together. More than a third of the food eaten in Britain is imported, and much of it enters through four ports, so disruption at key points can affect supplies.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for government policy on food and farming. Businesses across the supply chain, local councils and local resilience forums also have roles in preparing for emergencies such as extreme weather, disease outbreaks or cyber-attacks.
Preparation matters because problems in one part of the system can affect how food is stored and delivered elsewhere. Plans need to account for the links between imports, transport, power and local services.
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