Brexit and climate change have impacted the way many of us in the UK think about food production. In the last 35 years, our levels of self-sufficiency across the UK, with regards to fruit and veg, have decreased to just 64%. Although importing food can be extremely competitive price wise, our current situation forces us to scrutinise the consequences and question the norms around food imports.
Importing food has many advantages. The bountiful choice of food we have across the UK continues to grow and connects us to global flavours and food experiences. Moreover, importing gives other nations chance to boost their economies, especially as exotic fruits such as the classic avocado have become more popular. Importing food that isn’t native to the UK also improves the quality of products as they are grown in more suitable conditions. The affordable price of imported food is also a factor that British people can’t ignore. Even with research against imported food and changes to buying habits, only 22% of people in an IGD study said they would buy British if it was more expensive. Imported food is often so cheap due to the demand to import large quantities. On top of this, cheaper costs of labour, raw materials, manufacturing and tariffs all contribute to the low price of food coming into the UK.
However, following Brexit and the pandemic, many people across the UK have started to understand the importance of self-sufficiency. Both of these events exposed how vulnerable food imports are to political shocks and impromptu changes to border restrictions. Climate Change is a key factor that has made many of us question where our food comes from and the conditions in which it was produced. The environmental impacts of food production are more visible than ever before. For example, excessive greenhouse gas emissions associated with industrial scale agriculture and global transporting, and the soil degradation and biodiversity loss resulting from monoculture cropping. An eye-opening example of this is palm oil plantations in Indonesia, where deforestation of tropical forest and replanting rows of Palm have led orangutans to the edge of extinction. (Take a look at our blog on biodiversity to discover why this is important.) On top of this, transporting the palm oil to be the UK releases CO2, contributing further to the climate crisis.
Buying local produce increased during the pandemic after shortages of various items in supermarkets and the understanding that supporting local business was now crucial. Supporting local business instead of buying imported foods can benefit local economy and create new, local jobs. Local farmers being supported are also more likely to keep their land and successfully run their farm business with local investment. Locally produced food also tends to be fresher and more flavourful – this is because imported food needs to be picked earlier to prevent ripening on their journey. Picking these foods earlier not only affects taste but can also stop them reaching their maximum nutritional potential too.
It is important to acknowledge that importing food isn’t bad; it makes food affordable and adds variety to our diets. However, to create a more sustainable and resilient foodscape in the UK we must reconsider our reliance on global supply chains and industrial agriculture. Investing in low-carbon horticulture in the UK can help to reduce the carbon footprint of domestic production, making it a viable alternative to imported food. Through this, we can reduce our reliance on industrial scale agriculture, and reduce transportation emissions. Moreover, we can help support local economies and give small businesses a chance to thrive.
Here are a few ways to support a resilient, local food economy:
- Buy locally grown food,
- Support local, small businesses who have done little transporting of their produce,
- When shopping at larger stores, look at where food has come from – try to pick areas closer to where you live,
- Join your local food co-operative, urban gardening group, or Community Shared Agriculture scheme,
- Try growing your own food,
- Show support for companies like District Eating, as we find low-carbon solutions to grow food locally.
