Key facts
- The UK's food supply chain is vulnerable to increasing risks from climate change, disease, and cyber-attacks.
- The National Audit Office (NAO) found the government has not done enough to prepare for these potential disruptions.
The UK government has not done enough to prepare its food supply chain for increasing risks from climate change, disease, and cyber-attacks, according to the National Audit Office. The watchdog urged greater collaboration with businesses and communities to build resilience.
The findings indicate a significant vulnerability in the UK's food security, potentially impacting households and the economy if supply chains are not adequately prepared for escalating global risks.
The UK's preparedness for disruptions to its food supply chain is insufficient to meet growing risks, according to a report by the National Audit Office (NAO). The watchdog stated that the government, specifically the Department for Food, the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), needs to enhance its efforts to ensure the nation's food system can withstand increasingly common and severe shocks, including those stemming from the climate crisis, disease, and cyber-attacks.
Britain's reliance on imports for over a third of its food, with a significant portion entering through just four major ports, makes the supply chain particularly vulnerable. While the NAO acknowledged that Defra has taken some preparatory steps, it found that not enough has been done in recent years to encourage households, communities, and businesses to plan for potential emergencies. This comes amid warnings from experts urging the public to stockpile long-life food items.
The food supply chain has already experienced pressure from events like the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Although businesses largely managed to maintain supply during these times, Defra has expressed less confidence in the private sector's ability to cope with future shocks without greater government intervention. Food industry representatives noted that while Defra's engagement was appreciated during the pandemic, communication has decreased since, and their input into government disruption plans has been limited, potentially leading to impractical proposals.
Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, emphasized that while recent disruptions highlighted the supply chain's resilience, the likelihood and severity of risks are increasing. He recommended that Defra learn from international best practices and strengthen emergency preparedness by testing plans with local government and industry. Food industry representatives have also called for cold stores and food transport hubs to be added to the list of critical national infrastructure sectors to ensure power supply during outages.
The NAO report also highlighted that the last national exercise testing Defra's preparedness for catastrophic food disruption events occurred in 2023 but did not involve most supply chain businesses. Furthermore, local resilience forums indicated a lack of clarity from Defra regarding their responsibilities in the event of a disruption.