Food Foundation Response to Lords report ‘Hungry for change: fixing the failures in food’

Today the Committee on Food, Poverty, Health and the Environment published a report which demonstrates that the UK’s food system is failing, putting human and planetary health at risk. The report calls on Government to end years of inaction and ensure that a healthy, sustainable diet is accessible for everyone.

The Food Foundation’s response to the report is as follows:

Anna Taylor, Executive Director of the Food Foundation, said:

“This landmark report clearly explains the raft of actions needed to tackle our nation’s dietary inequalities which have been highlighted so starkly by the Covid pandemic. This report shows that millions of families can’t eat well unless they have sufficient income and an environment which makes the healthy choice the easiest. People can no longer wait for lengthy government consultations which languish in Whitehall.  Every day that passes where the odds are stacked against families securing a healthy diet, is a missed opportunity to secure a healthy future for our children.”

The Committee’s Chair, Lord Krebs, said: “Problems of diet and ill-health have been staring us in the face for decades, but successive Governments have done precious little about it.  While this affects everyone, people in poverty either can’t afford enough to eat or have unhealthy diets. Many of Britain’s poorest families have little or no choice. They either go without food or buy unhealthy food because that’s what they can afford and get hold of.  The government knows about the problem. It’s time to stop the dither and delay, endless talking and consultation, and get on with it.”