The food strategy outline
highlights ten critical actions identified by the UK Government to create a healthier, more affordable, greener, and resilient food system.
These initiatives fall under four primary themes: health and affordability; economic growth; sustainability and resilience; and food culture.
Developed with insights from experts across government, the Food Strategy Advisory Board, workshops, and input from the Citizen Advisory Council, the strategy has garnered a generally positive response from industry leaders, although some concerns remain.
Establishing a Good Food Cycle
A significant portion of the strategy emphasizes health, building on the Government’s recently released 10-Year Health Plan, aimed at promoting nutritious food in British diets.
Echoing the term ‘junk food cycle’ coined by Henry Dimbleby in the 2021 Food Strategy, the government aims to foster a “good food cycle.”
Defra defines a ‘good food cycle’ as a system where investments in the development, production, and marketing of healthier, accessible, and sustainable food thrive in a transparent, stable, and predictable policy landscape.
Achieving this transformation necessitates a cultural shift in how society perceives and values food. This includes encouraging businesses to adapt their production and marketing, supported by policies that reward the creation of nutritious and sustainable options. Moreover, it is vital to celebrate local British food while bolstering consumer confidence, knowledge, and culinary skills.
Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
As part of enhancing health outcomes, Defra emphasizes the need for diets richer in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, while reducing calorie, saturated fat, sugar, and salt intake.
The report indicates: “Death and disability from dietary risks such as eating too little fruit, vegetables, and fibre, and too much food high in fat, sugar, and salt has risen by 46% in the last decade.”
Claire Ogley, head of campaigns, policy, and research at The Vegan Society, welcomes this initiative to boost fruit and vegetable intake but cautions that the “proof will be in the pudding.”
She highlights that Denmark, known for bacon and butter, has already recognized this potential and implemented a plant-based action plan. Consequently, the UK Government must ensure practical education for the public, focusing on reducing meat and dairy consumption while promoting the cultivation, preparation, and cooking of fruits, vegetables, pulses, and whole grains.
Moreover, she argues for the need for integrated public health campaigns that elevate fruit and vegetable consumption and support farmers in transitioning to sustainable plant-based practices.
GFI Europe expresses support for Defra’s announcement but seeks further commitment on mandatory health reporting and compulsory tracking of protein sales from plant-based products, including plant-based ‘meat.’
Prioritizing Sustainability and Resilience
In addition to enhancing health and supporting local food, the plan prioritizes sustainability and resilience, drawing on insights from the 2021 Dasgupta Review on the Economics of Biodiversity and the UK Food Security Report 2024.
Defra’s report references alarming statistics concerning sustainability and food security, including a 36% rise in UK food prices from January 2021 to April 2025, along with projections about food-driven greenhouse gas emissions.
The report reveals that greenhouse gas emissions from the UK, including those from food imports, account for 38% of total UK emissions, with agriculture contributing 11.7%. By 2040, Defra forecasts that agriculture and aviation will be the leading sources of UK emissions.
To address these issues, the good food cycle includes goals focused on reducing waste and enhancing preparedness for supply chain disruptions.
Acknowledging Limitations
However, Defra has conceded that it “cannot deliver everything at once” and emphasizes the need to “be honest about the constraints and complexities we face.”
The department conveys its commitment to prioritizing key initiatives, while also recognizing that businesses require adequate time to adapt and prepare for forthcoming changes. This necessitates that the government “set a clear direction and stick to it.”
Moreover, it pledges to “continue to engage stakeholders from across the food system” as it shapes its food strategy and aligns efforts with the devolved nations’ individual food strategies.
Next Steps
Defra states that the “next key milestone” will be the development of metrics, indicators, and implementation plans to achieve the food strategy outcomes.
This endeavor will necessitate a more integrated approach to data usage across the food system and enhancements in research and innovation, alongside a commitment to reduce administrative costs for businesses by 25% by the end of the parliamentary session.
