Laura Sandys calls for policy changes to tackle surging food prices in UK

Tory MP from South Thanet, Laura Sandys has called on food producers, retailers and the government to evaluate their business policies and place consumers at the center of policy development to help mitigate surging food prices in the UK.

Speaking at the UK Food Security Roundtable at Palace of Westminster, Sandys will claim that food sector should rethink a cheap food business model to help consumers feed their families despite rises in unit price.

According to British Retail Consortium-Nielsen Shop Price Index, food inflation in March grew to 5.4%, from 4.2% in February.

Sandys noted that with a weak pound, rise in imports, growing consumption of labour intensive foods and loss of food skills, the country will become even more vulnerable to the expected rise in food commodities across the world.

"It is time we accepted that prices are only going in one direction – up – and that the best solution is to help build a resilient consumer," Sandys added.

Sandys has called for three key policy changes that are related to consumer focus, resilient supply chain and cross-departmental action.

She accused the industry of following a business model that is designed around a "stack ’em high sell ’em cheap" strategy, which promotes a high level of waste.

The Conservative MP strongly feels that while the government will have to put consumers at the heart of their policies, it will also have to understand the positive role that private sector can play in shaping consumer behaviour.

Calls have also been made for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to prepare farmers and the industry on the impact of global climate change on food production and supply, and ways to benefit from these changes in order to stay ahead of the curve.

Image: At the UK Food Security Roundtable to be held at Palace of Westminster, Sandys will claim that food sector should rethink on cheap food business model to help consumers feed their families despite rises in unit price. Photo: The Conservative Party