I was asked to write an article for the January 2026 edition of the journal Open Access Government, available here
The editor Lorna gave me the rather forbidding topic of “Food System Sustainability” , here is what I wrote:
What is an Ultra Processed Food (UPF) ? Few people know but many consumers say they are they are now avoiding them. The fevered debate around UPFs illustrates our widespread unhappiness with food and diet. How did we get here?
Post World War 2 farmers were told ”grow as much as you can”. Contemporary developments in artificial inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides made this possible. It wasn’t until Rachel Carson published Silent Spring in 1962 that the negative impact of intensive agriculture on environment and health was considered. The organic movement responded by developing an agricultural system that replaced artificial inputs with crop rotation and prioritised soil health. Thirty years ago social justice entered the equation, with the Fairtrade movement ensuring that farmers in the global South received a decent income.
Both these movements were dwarfed by the move to manufactured foods which offered consumers increased convenience at highly competitive prices. Such foods relied heavily on food additives and food processing. With the increased consumption of ready-to-eat meals came a reduction in cooking skills. The food manufacturing and retailing industry benefitted from the added value that could be achieved by selling processed foods compared to selling fresh produce. The result was a preponderance of foods classified as HFSS (High in Fat Sugar and Salt).
Society is now having to pay for our increasing reliance on foods that are HFSS and UPFs. Our health service is being bankrupted by increasing levels of obesity and diabetes. Intensive agriculture has reduced soil fertility: excess chemicals applied to the land have to be removed by water companies at great cost. Climate change is making it ever more difficult for farmers in both the North and South to grow their crops as temperatures increase and pests become more prevalent. A reduction in food security has resulted.
The response of the UK government has been disappointing. Our previous (Conservative) administration commissioned Henry Dimbleby to write a plan as to what needed to be done. His plans were thought too radical and his report was ignored. The current (Labour) government is showing signs of a greater appetite for change but is proceeding very cautiously, worried about “nanny state” accusations. There is a ten year health plan which calls for clear reporting on the healthiness of food produced by large food companies with mandatory targets for improvement. The devil will be in the detail, which thus far is sadly lacking.
Other countries are doing better. In Denmark a number of initiatives have transformed the food supply and made it healthier. A partnership between government, food industry and NGOs has introduced a whole-grain logo, which when added to food packaging has significantly increased the amount of fibre in the Danish diet. Schools in Copenhagen have moved to fully organic lunches at no additional costs to parents. Hospitals have started serving organic food and been able to prove that it helps patients get better more quickly. On the back of central government support the organic sector has thrived. The amount of organic food sold in Denmark is now 12% : in the UK it is 2%. The biggest retailer of organic food in Denmark is Netto, a discounter.
There is complete international agreement in what constitutes a healthy diet: fruit and vegetables, whole grains, a little dairy and a little meat and fish. The UK government has the EatWell plate which embodies this: other countries have something similar. This type of diet is also good for the planet. In terms of climate transition the highest impact we can make is moving from a meat-based diet to a plant-rich diet. Next comes replacing beef, veal and lamb with pork, poultry and fish. Third is eliminating food waste.
We can no longer claim ignorance. We know what to do. But change cannot be the sole responsibility of citizens. We need governments to take a more interventionist role and work with industry and NGOs to develop a modern food strategy that prioritises nutrition, food security and sustainability. Nothing less will work.