It’s 2024, and the cracks in the UK food system have never been more visible. The Food Foundation’s State of the Nation’s Food Industry 2024 report lands as both a wake-up call and a rallying cry. It paints a troubling picture of an industry where affordability, health, and sustainability are out of balance—and it’s everyday people who bear the cost.
From food affordability to lobbying practices that prioritize profits over people, this report reveals systemic failures that demand immediate action. But this isn’t just about data; it’s about real people, real lives, and a future we’re all responsible for shaping.
Affordability: When Workers Can’t Afford to Eat Well
The report’s findings are damning. Over 1.2 million workers in the UK food sector earn below the Real Living Wage. That’s chefs, catering staff, and food production workers—the very people who keep us fed but often can’t afford to put nutritious food on their own tables.
Think about that. The people producing and preparing our food are being priced out of the healthy diet that government guidelines recommend. In the poorest households, affording that diet would require 70% of disposable income. This is more than an economic problem; it’s a moral failing.
What’s the solution? Retailers could start by following the lead of companies like Aldi, which focus on everyday low prices and accessible fresh produce. But wage reform must be central. If workers aren’t paid fairly, how can we ever claim to have a just food system?
Health and Diet: A Broken Food Environment
Let’s not mince words—poor diets in the UK are killing us. Obesity and preventable diet-related illnesses cost the economy £98 billion every year. And yet, we live in a food environment saturated with high-fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) products. These dominate advertising and promotions, while fruits and vegetables barely get a look in.
The report cites stark numbers: only 5% of multibuy offers promote fresh produce, while 18% push processed meats. Is it any wonder that healthier diets remain out of reach for so many?
It’s not all bad news. Lidl has shown that setting measurable targets for increasing plant-based protein sales can drive change. But we need systemic action, not just isolated success stories.
Sustainability: A Talk vs. Action Problem
We hear a lot about corporate net-zero pledges, but how much of it translates into real action? The food sector is responsible for 20% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, and while some businesses talk a good game, only 58% report progress on reducing Scope 3 emissions—the big, impactful ones tied to supply chains.
Companies like Joe & the Juice are proving it’s possible to build more sustainable menus, but meat-heavy menus and slow progress on plant-based alternatives remain barriers. Transparency and accountability are key here. Without them, we’re stuck in a loop of empty promises.
The Dark Shadow of Lobbying
Here’s where the report hits a nerve: lobbying. Between 2020 and 2023, food industry representatives and trade associations met with DEFRA ministers 1,377 times. By comparison, NGOs working to improve public health and sustainability met with them just 35 times.
This imbalance is staggering—and it matters. When lobbying favors industry profits over public health, meaningful regulation stalls. It’s no coincidence that we’ve seen limited progress on advertising restrictions for HFSS foods or mandatory reporting on health and sustainability targets. The meat and dairy industries, in particular, exert outsized influence, hindering efforts to shift toward plant-based diets.
Transparency isn’t just needed in food businesses; it’s needed in the corridors of power. Why isn’t there a robust, accessible record of what these meetings cover? Without accountability, the lobbying machine keeps spinning unchecked.
What Needs to Change?
If we’re serious about fixing this broken system, here’s where we start:
For Businesses:
- Be Transparent: Publish sales data for healthier and sustainable products. If Lidl can do it, so can others.
- Rethink Marketing: Invest in promoting healthier, more sustainable options.
- Pay Fair Wages: Commit to the Real Living Wage across the sector.
For Government:
- Level the Playing Field: Mandate sales and emissions reporting to push lagging businesses forward.
- Regulate Lobbying: Introduce stricter requirements for transparency around industry-government interactions.
- Support the Vulnerable: Expand subsidies for healthy staples and schemes like Healthy Start.
A Call to Action: Where Do We Go From Here?
Ultimately, this isn’t just a report—it’s a call to action. For businesses, it’s a chance to lead, not lag. For the government, it’s an opportunity to step up and regulate in the public interest. And for consumers, it’s a reminder that our choices and our voices can drive change.
The Food Foundation’s work underscores this: change is possible, but it requires collaboration, courage, and an unrelenting focus on justice—for workers, for health, and for the planet. The window to act is narrowing. Let’s make sure we don’t let it close.
About The Food Foundation
The Food Foundation is an independent charity addressing challenges in the UK food system to benefit public health, sustainability, and social equity. Working across academia, policymakers, and citizens, they drive systemic change through research, campaigns, and partnerships. To learn more, visit foodfoundation.org.uk.
