The Provision Trade Federation (PTF) has issued a stark warning to Parliament, asserting that the UK Government lacks a coordinated food resilience strategy — a deficiency that leaves the nation vulnerable to both global and domestic threats.
In a direct submission to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Food and Drink, PTF Director General Rod Addy urged policymakers to prioritise food supply as critical national infrastructure. He called for swift action to protect the welfare of UK citizens. “The UK cannot afford to continue in this way or the consequences for it and the welfare and lives of its citizens could be dire,” Addy told the APPG, chaired by Mike Reader MP.
The PTF, which represents sectors accounting for 20% of UK household food expenditure and 130,000 jobs, highlighted a growing list of risks demanding immediate attention. These include cybersecurity threats to supply chain systems, climate change impacts disrupting production and logistics, rising input costs for raw materials, energy, and transport, weak infrastructure, fragmented policy support, labour and skills shortages, risk of national power outages, over-reliance on critical raw materials, disruption to global trade routes like the Panama Canal, and lack of preparedness for future pandemics.
Addy emphasised that although the UK food supply chain has historically performed well, recent shocks — from geopolitical conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East to extreme weather events — have exposed deep vulnerabilities. “These external shocks have challenged many long-standing assumptions about the inherent resilience of our supply chain models,” he said.
The PTF is advocating for a government-led, industry-supported strategy, with clear timelines and accountability. It urges policymakers to elevate food supply to the same level of priority as energy, transport, and healthcare, recognising it as one of the UK’s 14 critical infrastructures.
Mike Reader MP welcomed the submission, stating, “Global instability, climate impacts, rising costs, and skills shortages are all complex issues that require coordinated thinking and action. The APPG looks forward to working with industry and government to shape practical, long-term solutions.”
The APPG on Food and Drink aims to foster dialogue between industry and Parliament through roundtables, site visits, and policy events. Its leadership includes Vice Chair Amanda Hick MP and Secretary Baroness McIntosh of Pickering.
