The National Preparedness Commission (NPC) today issued a critical warning about the precarious state of the United Kingdom’s food security. In a new report published this morning, the Commission is urging immediate action to safeguard the nation’s food supply against mounting global pressures, including climate change, geopolitical instability, extreme weather events, fragile supply chains and the ongoing repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NPC’s groundbreaking report concludes that considerable change is needed to bring UK food policy into a fit state of preparedness. It provides a critical framework to ensure that the UK’s food systems are resilient, sustainable and able to feed the nation in both ordinary and extraordinary times. Authored by Professor Tim Lang, Professor Emeritus of Food Policy at City St George’s, University of London, Just in Case: 7 steps to narrow the UK civil food resilience gap (linked here), calls for a decisive shift from reactive food policies to proactive, community-centred resilience planning – examining in detail for the first time how the British public can be better prepared.
Serving as a rallying cry for policymakers, the report draws on lessons from ten countries to stress the urgency of embedding food resilience into national policy, proposing a strategic reset from “just-in-time” to “just-in-case” logistics. Highlighting a convergence of threats, the Just in Case framework offers a blueprint for stability and preparedness: recommending a coordinated approach from government, industry and crucially, civil society.
Among 15 key recommendations, the report calls for new legislation to formalise the state’s obligation to feed the public in a time of crisis. A new legally defined UK food policy, including increased domestic production, is also recommended. Elsewhere, the report urges changes to food distribution systems, the introduction of town-to-town food resilience learning exchanges and research into current thinking around stockpiling and rationing, all to better prepare Britain for food shocks.
Over 70 people from organisations as diverse as the food industry, government, academia, and community groups were interviewed by the authors. In one-to-one interviews, they were asked to judge risks, fragilities, options and recommendations for how to improve food system resilience, and particularly to advise on how to accelerate what the report calls ‘civil food resilience’. These extensive interviews are cited throughout the report, all anonymised to encourage frankness. Case studies from Birmingham, Bristol and international cities underscore the potential of grassroots initiatives, which often outpace government in innovation and community engagement. The report measures ‘civil food resilience’ by considering the public’s awareness of risks, ability to reduce unnecessary risks and preparedness to act inclusively with others to ensure all society is well fed during crises.
The detailed research is presented in a 370-page main report, with a standalone Executive Summary. It highlights that enhancing resilience is not a “bolt-on” solution but an integrated effort requiring coordination and collaboration across different levels of society and between different sectors – government, industry, commerce, science, education and civil society.
Professor Tim Lang said: “The UK’s post-War food system, while revolutionary in its time, is no longer fit for purpose. To safeguard our future, we must prioritise resilience at every level – from local communities to national frameworks. There is a gap between the official risk and resilience framework which presents a picture that all is OK, and the realities that people in senior and frontline roles read differently. There is too much complacency about UK food security and civil food resilience barely features at all in forward planning. Food resilience is not just about surviving a crisis but thriving despite it. This report stands apart from current frameworks by taking into account the public’s current attitudes and understanding of food risks, and asking how civil society can be better engaged to ultimately become more resilient.”
Lord Toby Harris, Chair of the National Preparedness Commission said: “Food security is a cornerstone of national resilience. This report highlights the urgent need for a coordinated, whole-society approach to ensure that no one in the UK is left vulnerable in the face of future crises. The risks to our food systems are more pronounced than ever before. From floods in key farming regions to disruptions in global trade, we are facing a confluence of threats that could undermine our ability to feed ourselves. The recommendations provide a clear path forward, and it is vital that these are considered urgently.”
The NPC’s new report outlines several key areas of concern and presents actionable recommendations to protect the UK’s civil food security.
The report proposes seven steps to civil food resilience:
1.. Learn from others
The UK should emulate steps taken by other counties, including improving coordination across government levels, ensuring public advice is accessible and the introduction of community guidelines around stockpiling.
2. Assess the public’s mood, perceptions and engagement
Develop a comprehensive food resilience tracker, increase public awareness of food risks, and promote clear, accessible guidance to enhance trust and preparedness.
3. Map the community’s food assets
Shift from individual stockpiling to collective approaches, enabling shared food skills, resources, and multi-level coordination for equitable crisis preparedness.
4. Local authorities are key to building civil food resilience
Cities and regions play a vital role: fostering local frameworks, partnerships, and integrated policies to enhance sustainability and readiness.
5. Create local Food Resilience Committees to co-ordinate resilience preparation
Use local Food Resilience Committees to map supply chains, build networks, assess risks, and coordinate tailored, community-based food preparedness.
6. The UK central state must create and maintain a coherent food policy
A clear national food policy is urgently needed to set goals, improve coordination, and ensure resilience through proactive legislation and strategy.
7. Re-set the Government Resilience Framework for food
A National Food Resilience and Security Council should integrate food resilience into policy, ensuring preparedness, sustainability, and public trust through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Key recommendations in the report include:
- Legislate for a comprehensive UK food policy: Introduce a Food Security and Resilience Act to ensure a sustainable and resilient food system.
- Pass law that obligates the government to feed the public in crises: Formalise government responsibility for crisis food provision, drawing on Sweden’s model.
- Shift to a just-in-case food system: Reform logistics to prepare for supply chain shocks, replacing the Just-in-Time approach.
- Reassess food as critical national infrastructure: Require Defra to treat food security as a core component of national infrastructure planning.
- Create a national council for food security: Establish an advisory body to provide evidence-based, consistent advice on food resilience.
- Integrate food into National and Community Risk Registers: Risk assessments should include food-related risks, considering local conditions and community responses.
- Include food in the National Infrastructure Commission’s workplans:
The National Infrastructure Commission should incorporate food security into its workplans and advice. - Update crisis communication: Revise public messaging and integrate food issues into messaging planning.
- Research stockpiling and rationing: Investigate stockpiling, rationing, and integrating local food providers into emergency food systems.
- Engage civil society: Engage civil society organisations to improve emergency food advice, replacing the ‘Prepare’ programme with trusted systems.
- Form local Food Resilience Committees: Create committees at the local level, building on existing food policy networks and chaired by trusted local experts.
- Prioritise urban and decentralised food production in planning: Amend land-use policies to support regional and urban food production while addressing climate and social equity goals.
- Promote regional food strategies: Encourage collaboration among metro mayors and devolved governments to develop regional food policies.
- Foster food resilience learning exchanges: Establish town, city, village and institution exchanges for knowledge-sharing on sustainable food systems.
- Invest in research: Fund studies into food vulnerabilities, crisis impacts, and demographic-specific resilience measures.
These steps aim to fortify the nation’s food systems, ensuring they remain robust in the face of growing global uncertainties.