Recommendations & Conclusions
26 items
1
Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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.
Government response. The Government is pleased with the Committee’s observations in relation to Defra’s response within conclusion and recommendation 1 and will continue to work closely with retailers.
2
Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 countries that were ahead of the UK with regards to …
Government response. The Government is pleased with the Committee’s observations in relation to Defra’s response within conclusion and recommendation 1 and will continue to work closely with retailers. The Government was monitoring the situation through the Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) from the …
3
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 at home. The Government and retailers, including convenience stores, failed …
Government response. The Government worked closely with supermarkets to develop and share messaging that aimed to help consumers understand the resilient nature of our food supply chains and the impact of their own actions when shopping on others. We worked with retailers …
4
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 suggest that in future, the Government must ensure that small …
Government response. Exclusion orders are intended to be used in exceptional circumstances only. Effective competition is good for consumers and the economy and exclusion orders should not be in place longer than necessary. The exclusion orders1 issued during the COVID-19 response make …
5
Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 online shopping throughout the pandemic. The Government’s temporary relaxation of …
Government response. We echo the Committee’s comments on the efforts of supermarkets and convenience stores. Retailers responded to the increased demand for ‘click and collect’ and online delivery services and worked hard to expand the number of delivery slots. The Government agrees …
6
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 pandemic and retailers were advising Defra on their capacity to …
Government response. As the national response to the pandemic developed it became clear that there was significant demand for online delivery services across the major supermarket chains. Industry reacted quickly to increase capacity of both delivery services and click and collect services, …
7
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 to afford it. We accept that some mistakes and compromises …
Government response. We know the difficulties that groups including the disabled faced in accessing food as a result of COVID-19, and that a large number of vulnerable people continue to rely on friends, family and wider community support. The tremendous contribution of …
8
Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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, a lack of sufficient income and social support, rather than …
Government response. Throughout the pandemic government has worked closely with the third sector, including food bank providers to address the impact on vulnerable people. We have provided £16 million in funding to help get food to charities that are feeding vulnerable people …
9
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 reduced, but, at a time of such critical need, it …
Government response. Nobody wants to see good food go to waste. The UK is committed to two ambitious targets; Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 with a target of 50% reduction in retail and consumer food waste by 2030 and the Courtauld Commitment 2025 …
10
Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 problems were inevitable. However, the system has been beset by …
Government response. Conclusions and Recommendations 10 and 11: 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 …
11
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 financial penalty. In addition, schools should be encouraged to continue …
Government response. Conclusions and Recommendations 10 and 11: 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 …
12
Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 about the contents of parcels were likely to relate to …
Government response. Conclusion and Recommendation 12: 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 …
13
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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, nutritious food has been severely disrupted or worsened. Lessons must …
Government response. Conclusion and Recommendation 13: 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 …
14
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
The Government should amend the Agriculture Bill so that food security assessments should take place yearly, rather than every five years.
Government response. Conclusion and Recommendation 14: The Government should amend the Agriculture Bill so that food security assessments should take place yearly, rather than every five years. (Paragraph 73) Reject. Government believes the current provisions in the Bill are sufficient to meet …
15
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 recognised the value of coordination across Government. However, the national …
Government response. Conclusion and Recommendation 15: 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 …
16
Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 would arise, particularly as it was necessary Government health measures, …
Government response. The Government is pleased with the Committee’s observations in relation to Defra’s response within conclusion and recommendation 1 and will continue to work closely with retailers. The Government was monitoring the situation through the Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) from the …
17
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 ensure that foodservice and hospitality businesses that were thriving before …
Government response. Conclusion and Recommendation 17: 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 …
18
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 and drink suppliers, particularly SMEs, over the next 18 months …
Government response. Conclusion and Recommendation 18: 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 …
19
Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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.
Government response. The Government thanks the committee for these comments and joins them in recognizing the outstanding efforts of workers in the food supply chain to keep this vital industry operational through such extraordinary and challenging circumstances. The Food Heroes campaign which …
20
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 that developed and implemented COVID- secure working practices before the …
Government response. The Government’s guidance has been developed in a rapidly evolving landscape and is informed by new information, including science, statistics and rates of infection. Although the aim is to always be proactive, the government is compelled to act on the …
21
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 carried out by the Government and industry on the reasons …
Government response. The Government joins the committee in recognizing the tireless efforts of the food processing industry to remain operational through this uniquely challenging period. Despite the logistical pressures that the essential COVID-19 measures created, the vast majority of these businesses remained …
22
Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 …
Government response. Food is one of the 13 Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sectors in the UK. Defra and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have joint responsibility for food as a CNI sector, where Defra lead on security of food supply in England …
23
Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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, able to keep providing food to those who could afford …
Government response. In the COVID-19 response, the Government acted quickly to provide emergency food to those in the shielding population who had no other means of obtaining supplies, including no wider support network of family, friends or volunteers. Two strategies to help …
24
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 evidenced by the already-increasing demand for food banks over the …
Government response. Throughout the pandemic government has worked closely with the third sector, including food bank providers to address the impact on vulnerable people. We have provided £16 million in funding to help get food to charities that are feeding vulnerable people …
25
Conclusion
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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 patterns of demand caused by Government action, which is an …
Government response. The UK has a highly-resilient food supply chain and a food industry which is experienced in dealing with disruptions to food supply. This has been demonstrated by the industry response including its work to establish alternative supply routes and suppliers, …
26
Recommendation
First Report - COVID-19 and food supply
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. The Government should explain whether another relaxation of competition law …
Government response. Exclusion orders are intended to be used in exceptional circumstances only, as set out in the Competition Act 1998. Defra will continue to work closely with the food industry to support preparations for the end of the transition period and …