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 mounted an excellent and commendable response to the food system disruptions caused by COVID-19, but we are surprised that the Government appeared to be so unprepared in the first place. It is particularly surprising because some other countries were ahead of the UK in terms of lockdowns and school and business closures, and therefore provided a clear indication that extraordinary measures were likely to be required.