Power needs to change hands to protect UK food supplies from climate change and war

Last week we saw headlines with food policy expert Professor Tim Lang warning that the UK food system is dangerously vulnerable to shocks. From climate disruption to geopolitical conflict, Lang argues that the country is not adequately prepared to ensure its population can be fed if supply chains are disrupted. It’s a stark assessment, but it’s not a new one - says Amit Dattani, Soil Association Director of Healthy and Sustainable Food:

Many working across the food system have been raising concerns about the risks in our food system for years. What's new is the frequency with which this vulnerability is being revealed to us - through pandemics, climate shocks, military incursions in oil-rich nations. We can no longer ignore this reality. 

The UK is one of the least food self-sufficient countries in Europe, importing more than 80% of its fruit and over half of its vegetables. In an era of increasing climate volatility, that reliance on imports carries risk. We saw a glimpse of this in 2023 when extreme weather in Spain and North Africa disrupted vegetable production and supermarket shelves across the UK began to empty.

But the issue isn’t simply how much food we produce, it’s also about how our food system is structured.

Lang’s research highlights just how concentrated the UK’s food supply has become. Around 12,000 supermarkets are supplied by just 131 distribution centres, with nine major retailers accounting for over 94% of retail food sales. The system has been designed for efficiency, the ‘just in time’ logistics model that minimises storage and keeps costs down. And it’s really good at doing exactly that. But the hidden cost of all that efficiency is a double helping of vulnerability.

Our highly centralised system reliant on a small number of distribution hubs becomes fragile when faced with disruption – whether cyber attacks, extreme weather or geopolitical instability. We all remember how the pandemic gave us a glimpse of how quickly things can unravel when the system is under strain. And when the war in Ukraine hit, we saw how risky it was for our farming system to rely on fertilisers that depend on Russian gas, instead of nature-based solutions.

So, what does resilience actually look like in a modern food system? 

At the Soil Association, our vision is for a future where resilience is built into the system itself, farm to fork, and not treated as an afterthought. That means strengthening local and regional supply chains, supporting farmers and producers to get their food onto the public plate, and empowering communities to take an active role in shaping their local food systems.

We support more resilient supply chains through our work with caterers, working across the supply chain to open up routes to market for more diverse, sustainable and higher-welfare produce. Our work with caterers in schools, hospitals and workplaces now shapes the provision of over one and a half million meals every day. By encouraging seasonal menus, transparent sourcing and stronger relationships with local producers, we help build supply chains that are both more sustainable and more robust.

We work more broadly to transform food environments. Lasting change is rarely driven by individuals alone; it happens when the environments around people make healthier and more sustainable choices the easy ones. Our Food for Life programmes take a whole-setting approach in schools and early years settings, connecting food education, procurement and local supply chains. When schools serve fresh, seasonal food sourced from nearby farms, they not only support local producers but also help children develop a connection to where food comes from.

We advocate for nature-friendly farming and spark change on farms. Our policy team work to influence government to support farmers who work in harmony with nature, as well as campaigning for government intervention in supply chains to help incentivise this way of food production. This is done alongside our farming projects which support farmers to shift to more resilient practices, including trialling alternatives to fossil-fuel based fertilisers and pesticides. Through our Soil Association Exchange Market Place, farmers can also get a significant payment for reducing input and fuel usage, helping them to mitigate risk associated with changing their system. And, of course, we uphold the gold standard through organic certification and our work with retailers and businesses to tap into the booming demand for organic food and drink, which is currently sadly being met by imports.

And finally, we empower changemakers. Across the UK, local Food Partnerships are bringing together councils, community organisations, farmers, businesses and activists to develop shared visions for healthier and more sustainable food systems. Through the Sustainable Food Places programme, now active in more than 120 areas covering around a third of UK local authorities, these partnerships are acting as a kind of civic infrastructure for food. Professor Lang’s report “From Just in Time to Just in Case" recognises the role that civic food infrastructure, including local Food Partnerships, can play in strengthening resilience. Many partnerships are already taking practical steps: mapping local food assets, building relationships with local authorities and Local Resilience Forums, and exploring how communities could respond to supply disruptions.

Resilience in our food system is possible 

All of this, alongside increasing the production of nature friendly food provides clear opportunities to strengthen resilience whilst driving environmental benefits. However, we need to ensure that food can actually move through supply chains and reach the public plate.

If resilience is the goal, then we need to rethink how our food system is organised. A more decentralised model (one that supports regional processing), shorter supply chains and local innovation, would reduce reliance on the 131 distribution centres that are currently keeping the show on the road.

Resilience is possible, if we’re willing to invest in building it, and it we’re willing to put more power back into the hands of local people, communities and producers. That means thinking differently about how food moves, who gets to shape it, and where resilience really comes from.