Food Strategy workshops: Emerging themes

In May, IGD partnered with Defra to host a series of four multi-stakeholder workshops across London, Birmingham, and Leeds. Bringing together over 150 organizations from across the agri-food supply chain—including representatives from agriculture, industry, NGOs, and private citizens—the workshops explored the four pillars of the UK food strategy: economic growth, health, sustainability, and food security. Participants shared their visions for the future of the food system, identified key challenges, and proposed actionable steps.  
 
Here are the cross-cutting themes that emerged: 

1. A call for joined-up thinking 

Across all four pillars, stakeholders emphasized the need for a more integrated, systems-based approach. Whether discussing economic growth, health outcomes, or environmental sustainability, participants highlighted the fragmentation of current strategies and the lack of cohesive leadership. There was a strong call for a unified national food strategy that aligns policy across departments and sectors, with clear goals, consistent metrics, and long-term vision. 

2. Empowering people and places 

Education and community empowerment were recurring themes. From early years food education to public health campaigns and community food initiatives, stakeholders stressed the importance of equipping citizens—not just consumers—with the knowledge and tools to make informed healthy and sustainable choices. There was also a focus on supporting local food systems, SMEs, and rural communities to build resilience into the food system. 

3. Rebalancing the food economy 

Participants called for economic growth that supports innovation, sustainability, and public health. This includes reforming subsidies and planning laws, investing in infrastructure and Research & Development, and creating fairer incentives for ethical, local food production. Workforce development—through a reformed approach to apprenticeships and a greater recognition of the careers available in food—was also seen as key to future growth. 

4. Making healthy and sustainable food the default 

Health and sustainability were seen as inextricably linked. Stakeholders advocated for food environments that make the healthy and sustainable choice the easy choice—through public procurement standards, advertising restrictions, clear labelling, and fiscal measures. There was strong support for shifting dietary norms toward nutrient-dense, plant-rich foods, and for rebuilding a positive food culture. 

5. Building resilience and accountability 

Food security discussions underscored the fragility of the current system— vulnerable to shocks and undermined by environmental degradation. Stakeholders called for diversified, greater contingency planning through “just-in-case” supply chains, investment in infrastructure and innovation. There was a clear request for a stronger integration between food security and environmental policy. Transparent data, unified metrics, and mandatory reporting were seen as essential for tracking progress and ensuring accountability. 

These workshops revealed a shared appetite for bold, coordinated action to transform the UK food system. The insights gathered will help shape the next phase of strategy development—ensuring that economic growth, health, sustainability, and food security are not treated in isolation, but as interconnected goals that must be pursued together. 

Below is a summary of the themes which emerged under each pillar of the Food Strategy as well as a downloadable spreadsheet with every idea submitted across all four workshops.

Summaries of each pillar: 

Economic growth 

Organizations across the food industry emphasized the need for a joined-up approach to economic growth—one that balances innovation, sustainability, and public health. A strong call was made for aligning policy and investment with long-term goals, including reforming planning systems, boosting R&D (particularly for nature-based and health-driven solutions), and incentivizing ethical, local food production. 

Education and workforce development emerged as another priority, with stakeholders advocating for food education from early years through to higher education, modernized apprenticeships, and improved sector visibility to attract talent. 

Infrastructure and market access were also highlighted, with recommendations to invest in local processing capacity, streamline funding access for SMEs, and support export logistics. 

 Governance and collaboration were identified as essential, with an emphasis on cross-sector coordination and a clear, measurable national food strategy. Additionally, contributors highlighted the importance of aligning food policy with climate and health objectives, utilizing public procurement to drive demand, and implementing mandatory reporting on health and sustainability to facilitate systemic change. 

Health 

Stakeholders across the food industry highlighted several systemic and structural issues around health. These include fragmented leadership, disjointed health and sustainability agendas, and food environments dominated by ultra-processed products and inconsistent legislation. Economic and social barriers—such as the high cost of healthy food, limited food education, and rising energy prices—further compound the problem, particularly in deprived communities. Public confusion around nutrition, driven by unclear messaging and misleading marketing, was also a recurring concern. These challenges are contributing to worsening health outcomes and widening inequalities, especially among children and young people. 

Looking ahead, stakeholders envisioned a unified, evidence-based food policy that integrates health, sustainability, and affordability. There is a strong desire for government-led collaboration, clearer standards, and the use of public procurement to shape healthier food environments. Empowering citizens through early and ongoing food education, transparent labelling, and a shift toward nutrient-dense, whole foods is seen as essential. Stakeholders also called for making healthy food the default—affordable, accessible, and supported by local supply chains—and for rebuilding a positive food culture that values tradition, taste, and wellbeing. 

To achieve this, organizations proposed a range of actionable steps: implementing stronger regulations (e.g. front-of-pack labelling, advertising restrictions, sugar and salt taxes), expanding school food standards, and reinvesting in health initiatives. Education and awareness campaigns, support for farmers and small businesses, and community-based food initiatives were also emphasized as critical levers for change. 

Sustainability 

Systemic misalignment and fragmentation were identified as a major barrier to sustainability. Current strategies—such as Net Zero, Nature Recovery, and Food Strategy—are often disconnected, with siloed thinking across government, NGOs, and industry. A lack of unified planning, consistent metrics, and stable policy frameworks further undermines progress. Economic barriers, including unclear funding responsibilities and subsidies that favour unsustainable practices, were also flagged as critical issues. 

Stakeholders noted a significant consumer disconnect; while public interest in sustainability is growing, it’s not yet reflected in purchasing behaviour. Confusion around sustainable choices, limited education, and greenwashing contribute to this gap. Meanwhile, environmental degradation—declining soil health, biodiversity loss, and climate-related disruptions—continues to threaten food production. Data and measurement gaps, such as inconsistent carbon calculators and a lack of standards for soil and biodiversity, further hinder accountability. 

Looking forward, contributors called for a holistic, systems-based approach that integrates environmental, nutritional, and economic goals. Empowering communities and farmers, supporting local food systems, and ensuring fair rewards for sustainable practices were seen as essential. There was strong support for clear, consistent government leadership, including long-term policy vision, public procurement reform, and transparent communication. 

Education and cultural change were also emphasized, with calls for food literacy in schools, public campaigns, and a shift in language from “consumers” to “citizens.” Innovation and investment in areas like regenerative farming, alternative proteins, and standardized sustainability metrics were seen as key enablers of change. 

To deliver this vision, stakeholders proposed actionable steps across five areas: reforming policy and regulation, mobilizing investment and incentives, developing unified data standards, improving public education, and fostering cross-sector collaboration that includes SMEs and communities. 

Food security 

A range of systemic vulnerabilities threatening the security of the UK food system were identified. These include an over-reliance on imports and just-in-time supply chains, increasing climate and environmental pressures, fragmented governance, and deepening social and economic inequalities. Cultural expectations around food availability and undervaluation of sustainable diets were also flagged as structural challenges. 

Looking ahead, stakeholders emphasized the need to build resilience through diversified, integrated supply chains and a shift toward “just-in-case” systems. Nutrition security was highlighted as a priority, reframing food security to include dietary quality and diversity. There were also calls for greater investment in technology and infrastructure, balanced local and global food strategies, and stronger integration of environmental goals into food policy. 

To deliver these outcomes, the contributors urged the development of a coherent national food strategy, increased support for producers, and reforms in education to raise awareness of food systems and sustainability. Supply chain transparency, fair governance, and climate adaptation planning were also seen as essential jobs to be done.