Planning in the food industry has faced criticism in recent years, but its importance is now being recognized. The challenges in the food world require more than market forces or government intervention alone. Good planning can facilitate change without being overly restrictive. To achieve effective planning, buy-in from various stakeholders is crucial. The UK has lacked this buy-in due to housing scandals and inadequate policies. The National Food Strategy report emphasized the need for planning, but the government has largely ignored it. Academics and civil society should prepare for a better-organized and more forceful approach to a future UK Food Plan. The UK’s food system needs to address major issues such as food production, labor, diets, cost of living, and inequalities. A comprehensive plan is necessary to ensure a sustainable and equitable food system.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recognition of the need for planning in the food industry | From hostility towards planning to recognition of its importance | Improved planning and coordination in the food industry | Enormous challenges faced by the food industry |
| Importance of growing more food in the UK | From reliance on imports to increased domestic production | UK should increase homegrown food to 80% | Geopolitical uncertainty and the need for sustainable, healthy food |
| Need for a comprehensive food labor plan | From a focus on manufacturing labor to a food systems approach | Development of a plan to address labor needs in the food industry | Dependence on migrant labor and the impact of Brexit |
| Shift towards healthier diets through regulation and support | From a focus on individual choices to systemic changes | Implementation of measures to reduce diet-related ill-health | Pressure to reduce healthcare costs and improve public health |
| Recognition of the true cost of food | From the assumption of cheap food to accepting the true cost | Acknowledgment that good food may come at a higher price | Understanding the environmental and health consequences of cheap food |
| Addressing food inequalities | From a focus on raising individuals out of poverty to narrowing inequalities | Efforts to create a more equal society through food policies | Recognition of the importance of societal equality in food access and rights |