New research calls for ‘rewiring’ of UK food policy to safeguard Britain's food future

Britain must urgently rethink its approach to food policy to protect consumers from future shocks and safeguard the nation’s future food supplies, according to a new independent report published today.

The report, Food Resilience in a Changing World, produced by London Economics and commissioned by Associated British Foods (ABF), warns that growing pressures on Britain’s food system demand a more joined-up approach from government. It calls for a new National Strategy for Food Resilience to 2050, bringing together food production, manufacturing, trade and supply chains under a new cross-government, long-term approach.

The report outlines the vital contribution of the UK's £162 billion agri-food sector, which supports approximately 4.1 million jobs, around 12% of the British workforce. Food and drink manufacturing alone contributes £39 billion to the economy, making it Britain's largest manufacturing sector. Employment in food manufacturing is roughly twice as high in the most deprived urban areas as in the least deprived, underlining its importance to communities across the country.

Despite Britain’s relatively affordable food system, the report finds that growing pressures threaten its long-term resilience. Food prices have risen by around 40% since 2020, while high industrial energy costs are squeezing manufacturers. Climate change and environmental degradation are adding pressure. Under 2° global warming, the share of high-quality farmland in England and Wales could fall from around 40% historically to just 10% by 2050, without adaptation.

It concludes that food resilience shares a number of features of public goods, requiring greater government leadership to balance competing priorities around affordability, economic growth, health, the environment and security of supply.

The report suggests that the government:

• Establish a National Strategy for Food Resilience to 2050. This would set clear, measurable targets for resilience, affordability, nutrition and domestic production, backed by greater coordination across government.
• Introduce annual reporting and parliamentary scrutiny of progress against food resilience targets and the cumulative impact of government policy.
• Consider tackling high industrial energy costs, including potential targeted relief for strategically important food manufacturing and processing, alongside support for electrification and improved grid access.
• Put food manufacturing at the heart of resilience. As part of this, consider the development of a dedicated food manufacturing sector plan, to unlock investment in innovation, automation and robotics.
• Make food resilience central to trade policy. Ensure trade agreements and tariff changes protect domestic manufacturing capacity that is critical for food resilience while diversifying international supply chains.
• Create the conditions for long-term investment. Assess the impact of tax, business rates, planning, skills funding and regulation on domestic food production and manufacturing.
• Ensure food businesses have the support required to invest in innovation to continue to drive productivity gains, whether in precisions breeding, automation or robotics.

George Weston, Chief Executive Officer of Associated British Foods, said:

"Britain’s food manufacturing sector is a national success story that we should build on. The challenges facing our food system are growing and so food security can’t be taken for granted. The response requires a more joined-up and urgent approach from policymakers. That means putting food manufacturing at the heart of reindustrialisation, tackling high industrial energy costs and ensuring trade policy supports domestic production.

"We commissioned this independent research because we believe there is an opportunity to rethink how we approach food security. We hope this report provides a valuable contribution to the conversation about how government and industry can work together to secure a resilient and thriving UK food sector for generations to come."

John Curnow, Partner at London Economics, said:

"In a more volatile world, food resilience has never been more important. But building a resilient food system means balancing competing priorities, from affordability and economic growth to environmental and health objectives.

“Our research shows that resilience depends on both strong domestic production and international trade. Government has a critical role to play in identifying vulnerabilities across the food system, addressing risks and ensuring that the right policies are in place to safeguard food supplies for the future.”

The report is being launched at a parliamentary event on Tuesday 10 November, bringing together representatives from government, Parliament and the food industry to discuss the future of UK food security.

Notes to editors

• Food Resilience in a Changing World was independently produced by London Economics and commissioned by Associated British Foods.
• The wider UK agri-food sector contributed £162 billion in gross value added in 2024 and employed approximately 4.1 million people in 2025.
• Food and drink manufacturing contributed approximately £39 billion in 2024, making it the UK's largest manufacturing sector.
• The UK ranks third in Economist Impact's 2026 Resilient Food Systems Index, as cited in the report.
• London Economics analysed the relationship between food self-sufficiency and food price inflation across 33 OECD countries, comparing average annual food price inflation between 2007 and 2024 with average food production-to-supply ratios between 2010 and 2022.
• The report proposes a Strategy for Food Resilience to 2050, with clear objectives, measurable targets, cross-government coordination and regular reporting.

About Associated British Foods

Associated British Foods is a diversified international food, ingredients and retail group with revenue of £19.6bn and 140,000 employees in 57 countries. It has significant businesses in Europe, the Americas, Australia, Africa and Asia.

Our purpose is to provide safe, nutritious and affordable food, and clothing that is great value for money. We take a long-term, patient approach to drive sustainable growth and cash generation across our portfolio of food and retail businesses to create value for all stakeholders. This aligns with our approach to sustainability and sustainable supply chains, where we focus on what matters and where we can make a difference.

Media enquiries

For further information or requests, please contact David Wood: abf-pa@edelman.com.