UK food system is 'one shock away from riots,' experts warn
Just a single shock could trigger social unrest and even riots in the UK due to chronic issues in the country’s food system, dozens of food experts have warned.
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Researchers have described the situation as a “tinderbox” as the climate crisis, low incomes, poor farming policy and supply chain issues all leave the UK increasingly vulnerable.
Following an analysis, experts concluded that just one shock from a major event such as extreme weather, cyber-attacks or international conflicts could spark a food crisis.
They warn these events could impact supply chains and ramp up food prices. Rising prices would disproportionately affect low-income households, restricting access to nutritious food and heightening food insecurity.
The experts warn this could stoke heightened social tension and may lead to secret market sales of unsafe food.
Civil unrest or riots was pinpointed as a potential outcome - the worst-case scenario - amid an erosion of public trust in government and business.
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Some of the riskiest shocks have already happened at some level and should be viewed as wakeup calls, the experts said. This includes the 2025 cyber attack on M&S.
The high street stalwart stopped all online sales for around six weeks and suffered empty shelves due to disruption to its logistics systems after hackers targeted the business around Easter last year.
Prof Sarah Bridle, at the University of York, said: “The stability of the UK’s food system is a critical aspect of national security. While we can’t always prevent future shocks, we can build resilience to withstand them, and stop a bad situation from becoming a crisis.
"While there is a growing awareness of the potential risks, not enough coordinated work is being done to address the weak spots in the system, and how people are likely to be affected. Understanding how the system might react to extreme pressure is the first step to preventing worst-case scenarios unfolding in the future.”
The research was based on interviews with more than 30 food system experts from academia, government, and industry.
The report, published in the journal Sustainability highlights many “existing chronic issues creating a tinderbox for … a food crisis in the UK”.
Experts from the University of York, Anglia Ruskin University and other institutions mapped how shocks to the food system, including sudden price hikes or food shortages.
The report highlights key systemic weaknesses, crisis triggers, and interventions that could stop them.
Dominic Watters, lived and living experience researcher, writer, and study contributor, said: “Food crises and civil unrest don’t come from a lack of calories alone; they come from a lack of dignity, voice, and care.
“This research highlights how the stigma and dehumanisation of food insecurity are already creating cracks in our society.
“If we want a genuinely resilient and ‘ready’ United Kingdom, we cannot build it on systems of shame. That is why this study speaks to the importance of co-designing responses with communities disproportionately affected, rather than simply deciding for them.”
Professor Aled Jones, Director of the Global Sustainability Institute at Anglia Ruskin University, said: “The potential for events to trigger a food crisis is frequently underestimated. The UK is not immune to disruptions that can lead to severe consequences."