One in Eight UK Households Struggles to Afford Food

Aerial view of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben in London, with the Thames River and cityscape — Photo: Liubou Zieba / Shutterstock

A powerful coalition of supermarkets, farmers, and charities is warning Prime Minister Andy Burnham that Britain’s next “food shock” is coming – and demanding he treat food security like defence and energy by passing a legally binding Good Food Bill.

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Major retailers, farm groups, and charities say Britain’s food system is too fragile and needs urgent government action.
The coalition wants Burnham to back a **Good Food Bill** with legal targets on obesity, fruit and vegetable intake, and food insecurity.
Industry leaders argue food security must be treated as “national security” and put on the same level as energy and defence.
New data showing about one in eight UK households struggling to afford food is driving calls to make access to good food a basic right.

Food Industry’s Warning to Burnham

Food giants such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Waitrose and Co-op have joined companies like Danone and charities including Barnardo’s, Amnesty International UK and WWF-UK in a joint letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The letter says the next “food shock” is not a question of if, but when, and warns that the current system leaves families and businesses exposed to sudden price spikes and shortages. These groups argue that food can no longer be an afterthought in government decisions.

The letter urges Burnham to treat food security as a core national priority, alongside defence and energy. Signatories call for systems inside every department so decisions on health, farming, trade and planning all consider access to healthy, sustainable food. Their message fits a wider push from farm leaders and business groups, who say government must work with the whole supply chain to unlock investment, reduce red tape and strengthen long-term food security.

The Push for a Legally Binding Good Food Bill

The same coalition is pressing Burnham to introduce a **Good Food Bill** that would create a long-term legal framework for food and nutrition policy. Campaign groups such as Sustain and the Food Foundation say only a bill with clear duties and targets will force future governments to keep food security and public health at the top of the agenda. Their proposals include legal goals to cut childhood obesity, boost fruit and vegetable consumption, and increase the share of produce grown in Britain.

Supporters of the bill argue that Britain’s food system has become too fragile, with policy spread across many departments and no single plan tying it together. They point to Scotland’s Good Food Nation Act, which requires ministers to publish national food plans, as proof that food can be treated as basic infrastructure, not just a market issue. For many on both the left and right, this kind of law speaks to a deeper fear that distant “elites” are not safeguarding essentials like food, even while ordinary people struggle with rising bills.

Cost of Living Pressure and Food as a Basic Right

New figures from the Food Foundation show about 12.2% of UK households are experiencing food insecurity, meaning they sometimes run out of food or cannot afford balanced meals. That is close to one in eight homes and highlights how inflation and low wages have turned the weekly shop into a source of stress for millions. The Foundation says affordability remains a major barrier to healthy eating and wants Burnham to make sure every family can afford a decent diet.

Charities including Amnesty International UK have framed access to food as a human right rather than a privilege. They are calling for a rights-based approach where governments have a clear duty in law to keep food affordable and accessible. Suggested steps include stronger support for low-income families, such as expanding Healthy Start benefits for pregnant women and parents of young children, and using public-sector buying power to back British producers and local supply chains. This connects with public anger that powerful interests profit while basic needs like food and housing feel increasingly out of reach.

Farmers, Business and the National Security Argument

Farm leaders, including the National Farmers’ Union, have written to Burnham stressing that British farmers and growers are the “bedrock” of the nation’s food security, feeding around 28 million households daily. They want Labour’s manifesto line that “food security is national security” turned into concrete policy, including planning reforms to support farm investment, proportionate regulation to encourage innovation, and reliable access to workers in farming and horticulture. Business groups add that a stronger, more resilient food system is vital to protect four million jobs linked to food and drink.

BMPA has written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham setting out the meat processing sector's priorities, including export growth, an SPS agreement with the EU and stronger recognition of the industry's role in UK food security.https://t.co/jDmwUHOXBi pic.twitter.com/HaEfqIGpz7

— British Meat Processors Association (@BMPA_INFO) July 28, 2026

Analysts note that Burnham’s own economic plan already lists agri-food as a strategic national industry, alongside sectors like steel and defence. That language suggests Downing Street knows food is not just a consumer issue but a pillar of national strength. However, industry warnings about expensive new border checks on imported produce show how easily well-meaning policies can push up prices if officials ignore practical advice. Both conservatives and liberals who doubt the competence of the “deep state” will be watching closely to see if Burnham turns big promises on food into real, grounded action.