UK experts are advising citizens to stockpile food at home in preparation for potential disruptions to supply chains caused by conflicts, extreme weather, or cyberattacks, according to a report in The Guardian.
Emergency Food Stockpiles Recommended
The experts recommend choosing long-life items that require no cooking, such as tinned beans, vegetables, and fish, rice crackers, and oats that can be soaked. It is also important to select foods you enjoy, and include some treats like chocolate or crisps to maintain morale. A significant supply of water, for both drinking and washing, is also essential.
Professor Tim Lang suggests preparedness should extend to sharing resources with neighbors, particularly given that one in seven households with children in the UK already experience food insecurity. “Yes, do store food, but be prepared to share to maintain social solidarity,” Lang said. “All resilience theory and experience…shows it is essential to maintain social cohesion if you want to maintain social order.”
A report published in February by dozens of the UK’s top food experts warned that the nation’s food system is a “tinderbox” due to chronic issues like low incomes and fragile supply chains. The war in Iran, impacting fuel and fertilizer supplies, is adding to the pressure. The report suggests a shock could spark social unrest and even food riots.
Professor Lang has warned the British government should be stockpiling food, unlike countries such as Switzerland. A 2024 government report also indicated the UK could be “at strategic risk of catastrophic failure” regarding food security by 2030, due to the climate crisis and geopolitical instability. UK glasshouse growers have already cautioned about shortages of cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers due to rising gas prices.
Several countries take emergency food stockpiles seriously. Switzerland provides a website where citizens can input family details, dietary restrictions, and even pet information to receive a detailed food list. A week’s supply for a family of two adults and two children, for example, includes 20 tins of vegetables, seven packets of instant soup, salami, a kilogram of coffee, and 47 1.5-litre bottles of water. Germany and Latvia also have similar resources available to citizens.
The UK’s official guidance on its Prepare website is minimal, consisting of a single sentence. Lang criticized this as “stupid,” stating, “The state ought to be protecting us more and be giving us specific advice.”
Lang maintains his own food store, consisting of beans, dried goods, tinned sardines, and oats. He emphasized the need to prepare for scenarios with no cooking facilities, limited water, and internet access.
Professor Sarah Bridle, at the University of York, also recommends an emergency food store, advising people to stock items they regularly consume. “I did go a little bit crazy [during Covid lockdowns] getting lots of stuff in and what I learned very quickly there is to make sure you get stuff that you actually like and eat anyway,” she said.
Environmental columnist George Monbiot has also warned of the fragility of the food system and revealed his own stockpile, which includes 25kg of rice, 15kg of dried chickpeas, and various flours and oils, providing about two months’ supply for his family of three.
A spokesperson for the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated the country has a high degree of food security, with approximately 60% of food produced domestically. The government is monitoring developments in the Middle East and stands ready to support the farming industry and protect food security. Lang accused the government of complacency and urged citizens to contact their MPs to advocate for greater preparation for food shocks.
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