“Food Inflation is one of our biggest political challenges. We must re-engineer our set of food policies to make feeding a family less expensive not more”
Laura launches Ugly Food
On the eve before Labour’s debate on food prices, Laura Sandys is questioning what Labour did for 13 years to address this growing reality of higher food prices. “The policies of the past have resulted in the UK becoming the country most dependent on imported food and one of the highest consumers of processed food in the OECD. With a weak pound, high imports, high consumption of labour intensive foods and a loss of food skills in the home, we will become more and more vulnerable to the guaranteed rise in food commodities globally. Food inflation is having a significant impact on disposable income and consumer confidence.
“Action is needed now. Government needs to promote greater domestic production of food, we need to impose a Food Security Obligation on supermarkets – similar to the energy sector, – and most importantly we need to address waste throughout the supply chain –a form of “Green Deal” for Food.
“We also need to change our ways. There is a substantive difference between the price of food and the cost of feeding our families. After years of our households being “de-skilled” in food preparation, we will need to learn again how to make good food go further.
“The current team at DEFRA is very focused on this agenda and with their expertise they have already implemented many measures that will enhance our food security. However this needs a cross-departmental approach and all of Whitehall must see this as an important agenda.
“For my part I am setting up a not for profit company called Ugly Food. This company will buy food rejected by supermarkets for aesthetic reasons and sell it to customers under the Ugly Food brand with the strap line – “Tasty but not Perfect- just like you!”
Key policy Platforms that should be examined by Government
DEFRA should consider placing food security obligations on supermarkets to prevent food waste throughout their procurement processes, implement a Food “Green Deal” to help consumers waste less, while also promoting policies to secure greater domestic food production.
The FCO should consider how to improve global governance to enhance food security. The WTO is losing interest in the agenda, greater transparency is needed in markets and investment in infrastructure is crucial.
DFID needs to further focus its development strategy to build greater agricultural capacity, improve education in agronomy and enhance resilience.
BIS should further value agriculture as an economic growth sector for the UK and support greater HE investment in the sector.
DFE should further emphasise food science and waste education within the curriculum whilst ensuring food science and food production is seen as a valued long-term career.
DOH public health agenda needs to focus on food skills, ensuring that nutritional values don’t deteriorate in a rising commodity market.