Marks & Spencer’s head of food has called on the government to set a legally binding “concrete target” to increase the proportion of food produced at home, as he warned that Britain was becoming “less and less self-sufficient”.
Alex Freudmann, the managing director of the upmarket grocer’s food division, which works with 10,000 British farms, said: “If ministers are committed to domestic food supply, then they need to prove it, and that’s why we’re backing our farmers’ calls for a clear and concrete target to increase the proportion of food eaten in Britain that’s grown or reared in Britain.”
At present, less than half of the food consumed in the UK is produced here and farmers say it should be much more to ensure security of supply amid global uncertainties including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and the climate crisis.
“If [a target] was set down in law, just like the net zero targets are, it could tilt the balance towards farmers and decisions around planning or access to water, which are incredibly painful to navigate today,” Freudmann said.
Ministers needed to “fight quickly” as discussions on the UK government’s food strategy restarted this month and “we’re getting less and less self-sufficient”.
Freudmann added that the government should replace complex grant funding with simpler incentives and allowances, introduce new training schemes and apprenticeships to entice young people into the industry and demand the same high food standards on imports as on UK goods.
He said not enough priority was given to food production in planning decisions, which have limited the expansion of poultry and egg farms, for example, to meet rising demand.
Freudmann said M&S remained committed to sourcing 100% on major products, including beef, chicken, pork and milk, and was investing £7m in supporting farmers to introduce new technology and sustainable farming practices over the next five years.
By 2030, M&S said it now aimed for 100% of its British products to come from farms using regenerative practices.
“British food is the best in the world and at M&S, we’ve invested millions to support our farmers who produce it. But the future of British agriculture can’t rest on industry alone,” Freudmann said
He added that 6,000 farms had closed last year, many of which supported a family. “It’s time to turn warm words into action.”
The government has faced protests from farmers over changes to support and taxes, particularly plans to end an inheritance tax break for agricultural land and properties.
Farmers have also faced upheaval from an overhaul of the government’s nature-friendly farming scheme, which pays farmers for leaving wildflower borders around fields or reducing pesticide use. The government paused the sustainable farming incentive scheme earlier this year saying it would be simplified but has yet to confirm plans.
