Britain’s biggest supermarkets, food manufacturers and charities have issued an unusually stark warning to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, arguing that food security should be treated as a matter of national security alongside defence and energy as geopolitical tensions, climate change and rising import dependence leave the UK increasingly vulnerable.
In an open letter signed by companies including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Waitrose, Co-op and Danone, alongside charities and farming groups, ministers are urged to place food resilience at the centre of government policy.
The coalition argues that Britain is becoming progressively more exposed to external shocks as domestic production declines and global supply chains come under increasing strain.
“The next food shock is not a question of if, but when,” the letter warns.
Its concern reflects a series of mounting pressures.
British fruit and vegetable production has fallen by 16% since 2015, while the UK now imports 78% of its supply. At the same time, conflict has driven fertiliser costs around 40% higher over the past year, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events—including this summer’s devastating European wildfires—are threatening agricultural output across the continent.
The warning echoes growing concerns among policymakers that food has become an overlooked component of national resilience.
Earlier this year, the Government’s own National Security Assessment concluded that global biodiversity loss represents a direct threat to Britain’s food supply, reinforcing the link between environmental risks and economic security.
Campaigners also warn the consequences are increasingly being felt by households.
Food insecurity already affects around 15% of families with children, while the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit estimates food prices are on course to be roughly 50% higher by November than they were before the cost-of-living crisis began in 2021.
The signatories argue that rising costs are pushing lower-income households towards cheaper, less nutritious diets, with long-term consequences for public health and NHS spending.
To address those risks, they are calling on ministers to introduce a Good Food Bill, creating the UK’s first statutory framework for food security. The legislation would establish legally binding targets covering food resilience, childhood obesity, domestic fruit and vegetable production and household food insecurity.
Simon Roberts, chief executive of Sainsbury’s, said recent events had demonstrated how much pressure Britain’s food system was facing, arguing that food and farming should sit at the heart of government policy to strengthen long-term resilience.
The intervention is notable not simply because of its breadth—bringing together retailers, manufacturers, charities, investors and farming organisations—but because it reframes food security as a strategic issue rather than solely an agricultural or public health concern.
As governments devote increasing attention to defence, energy independence and critical infrastructure, the coalition argues that securing reliable access to affordable food now deserves equal priority.
The Government said it remained committed to protecting national food security, pointing to £11.7 billion of investment in farming alongside funding for climate-resilient crops, agricultural technology and stronger supply chains aimed at safeguarding Britain against future disruptions.
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