COVID-19 and food supply

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 19 Mar 2020 Closed: 24 Nov 2021 Parliament page
The Committee today is enquiring into food supply during the Coronavirus pandemic, including access to healthy food during periods of self-isolation, and how disruptions in the food supply chain should be managed. The Committee will initially identify current problems and strategies for mitigating potential risks. Read the key points on … Read more
17 Recommendations
9 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
4 Letters
6 Events
Activity timeline 12 events
10 Oct
2020
Report published
30 Jul
2020
Report published
30 Jun
2020
Formal meeting · Virtual meeting
23 Jun
2020
Oral evidence
16 Jun
2020
Correspondence
16 Jun
2020
Correspondence
5 Jun
2020
Oral evidence
20 May
2020
Correspondence
19 May
2020
Oral evidence
15 May
2020
Oral evidence
5 May
2020
Oral evidence
9 Apr
2020
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
23 Jun 2020
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Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Andrew Kenny · Just Eat Takeaway.com Anna Taylor · The Food Foundation Kate Nicholls · UKHospitality Professor Tim Lang · City University London's Centre for Food Policy
5 Jun 2020
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Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Andrew Opie · British Retail Consortium James Lowman · Association of Convenience Stores
19 May 2020
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Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Ian Wright CBE · Food and Drink Federation James Bielby · Federation of Wholesale Distributors Mr Nick Allen · British Meat Processors Association
15 May 2020
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Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee; Oral evidence session
Caroline Abrahams · Age UK Emma Revie · Trussell Trust Fazilet Hadi · Disability Rights UK Lindsay Boswell · FareShare
5 May 2020
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Oral Evidence Session
Jack Ward · British Growers Association Minette Batters · National Farmers Union (NFU) Tom Hind · North York Moors National Park Authority, National Parks England
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply HC 263 30 Jul 2020 26 Response document linked
Recommendations & Conclusions
26 results
1 Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
We consider that, once the crisis hit, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs...
We consider that, once the crisis hit, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) worked well with industry to put in place measures to help retailers to deal with significantly increased consumer demand.
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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2 Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
However, it appears that the Government had not anticipated how much retail demand would increase...
However, it appears that the Government had not anticipated how much retail demand would increase and that it would have a disruptive effect on food supply to consumers via retailers. Given that empty shelves were already being reported in other … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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3 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
It is entirely reasonable and predictable that consumers would want to buy more food in...
It is entirely reasonable and predictable that consumers would want to buy more food in anticipation of a lockdown, the need to self-isolate if they developed COVID-19 symptoms; or school closures and changed working patterns resulting in more meals eaten … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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4 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
We heard concerns about the relaxation of competition law on smaller retailers and their suppliers.
We heard concerns about the relaxation of competition law on smaller retailers and their suppliers. Smaller retailers played a vital role in providing food to people during the pandemic, particularly where they were unable to get to supermarkets, and we … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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5 Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
The spike in demand for online grocery shopping and home delivery was an obvious consequence...
The spike in demand for online grocery shopping and home delivery was an obvious consequence of measures designed to stop the spread of COVID-19. We commend the efforts of supermarkets and convenience stores in ramping up their capacity to offer … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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6 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
There is no reason why the Government should have had any misconceptions about the capacity...
There is no reason why the Government should have had any misconceptions about the capacity of online retailers to cater for the increased demand from consumers shopping from home. Online accounted for a small proportion of the market before the … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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7 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
The significantly increased demand for online shopping, combined with in-store measures to prevent the spread...
The significantly increased demand for online shopping, combined with in-store measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and limit excessive buying, have had a negative impact on people who are not shielding but struggling to access food, despite being able … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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8 Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
Use of food banks was increasing before the pandemic and has effectively doubled during the...
Use of food banks was increasing before the pandemic and has effectively doubled during the pandemic. It is likely that the situation will get worse before it gets better. Food bank use is normally a symptom of, amongst other things, … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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9 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
During the early stages of the pandemic, however, supply to food banks and food aid...
During the early stages of the pandemic, however, supply to food banks and food aid organisations was disrupted. At the same time, a significant amount of food is still being wasted in the supply chain. Food waste must always be … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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10 Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
With the need to quickly provide children with a substitute for free school meals after...
With the need to quickly provide children with a substitute for free school meals after schools closed, the Department for Education (DfE) designed a national voucher system. The speed with which it was set up was commendable and some teething … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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11 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
The Government should now be more flexible and recognise the importance and success of most...
The Government should now be more flexible and recognise the importance and success of most community-led responses to the provision of free school meal substitutes. Schools should be allowed to provide vouchers for whichever retailers serve their community best, without … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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12 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
The distribution of food parcels to people who were Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) and without...
The distribution of food parcels to people who were Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) and without other means of support was a valuable way of ensuring that those people had access to basic foodstuffs. We accept that many of the complaints … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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13 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
One of the key questions for our inquiry was what the COVID-19 pandemic had shown...
One of the key questions for our inquiry was what the COVID-19 pandemic had shown about our food system, not just in terms of food supply, but also demand. There are clearly millions of people whose ability to afford sufficient, … Read more
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14 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
The Government should amend the Agriculture Bill so that food security assessments should take place...
The Government should amend the Agriculture Bill so that food security assessments should take place yearly, rather than every five years.
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15 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
Responsibility for food falls across several Government departments, but there is a risk that food...
Responsibility for food falls across several Government departments, but there is a risk that food insecurity falls between the cracks with no clear lead. The establishment of a cross-Government taskforce looking at food insecurity during the pandemic indicated that Defra … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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16 Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
The closure of foodservice and hospitality businesses was a huge shock for their food and...
The closure of foodservice and hospitality businesses was a huge shock for their food and drink suppliers, particularly those providing perishable goods who were unable to find alternative markets quickly. The Government could have done more to anticipate problems that … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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17 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
We cautiously welcome the decision to allow foodservice and hospitality businesses to reopen with reduced...
We cautiously welcome the decision to allow foodservice and hospitality businesses to reopen with reduced social distancing, as this will increase the likelihood that they and their food suppliers will survive the economic impact of the pandemic. The Government must … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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18 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
The hospitality and foodservice sectors may take over a year to recover from forced closure...
The hospitality and foodservice sectors may take over a year to recover from forced closure and further financial difficulties are likely. The Government should work with producers, processors and wholesalers to understand their concerns and monitor the health of food … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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19 Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
We would like to put on record our unreserved thanks to all the key workers...
We would like to put on record our unreserved thanks to all the key workers in the food supply chain whose efforts and sacrifices have meant that the nation is being fed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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20 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
Guidance on measures that businesses should take to protect workers, such as guidance on how...
Guidance on measures that businesses should take to protect workers, such as guidance on how to introduce social distancing and the use of personal protective equipment, was not issued quickly enough. We commend the processors, manufacturers, retailers and trade unions … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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21 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
While there have been some outbreaks in meat and poultry processing plants in England and...
While there have been some outbreaks in meat and poultry processing plants in England and Wales, these have been in the minority, which is a testament to the efforts of the industry to keep workers safe. Further investigations should be … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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22 Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
The COVID-19 pandemic was unanticipated, and yet the Government had been preparing for an influenza...
The COVID-19 pandemic was unanticipated, and yet the Government had been preparing for an influenza pandemic for many years; this too could have resulted in lockdowns, self-isolation and closures of businesses, with knock-on effects on food. We consider that Defra … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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23 Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
The measures put in place by Government to control the COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly had a...
The measures put in place by Government to control the COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly had a significant and disruptive effect on food systems in the UK. The food supply chain was, with time, Government support and the efforts of key workers, … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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24 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
It is clear that before the pandemic, many people were already unable to have physical...
It is clear that before the pandemic, many people were already unable to have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that met their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. This was … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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25 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
The Government cannot afford to be complacent; even though the supply chain ultimately proved to...
The Government cannot afford to be complacent; even though the supply chain ultimately proved to be resilient, for several weeks shoppers were faced with empty shop shelves and (in effect) rationing of staple goods. This disruption largely came from changing … Read more
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
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26 Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food s…
If the UK leaves the transition period provided for by the UK’s withdrawal agreement with...
If the UK leaves the transition period provided for by the UK’s withdrawal agreement with the EU at the end of 2020 without a clear trading arrangement with the EU, the relaxation of competition law may again be called for. … Read more
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Correspondence 4 letters
16 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from the CEO of Co-op food to the Chair regarding free school meal vouchers, 11 June 2020
Parliament page
16 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair to Vicky Ford MP regarding free school meal vouchers, 9 June 2020
Parliament page
20 May 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State regarding COVID-19 and food supply, 19 May 2020
Parliament page
9 Apr 2020 Correspondence from Heather Hancock, Chair, Food Standards Agency
Parliament page