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In the News

From Pasta to Turnips - the UK Food System Under Pressure

Graham Watson

26th February 2023

The BBC news video looks at the cost of living crisis, via food price inflation, highlighting how much food prices have risen in the recent past, and attributing this to the nature of the supply chain, and the number of stages in it. The article argues that this means that it sometimes takes a long time for cost increases to manifest themselves in higher retail prices for consumers.

A broader look here at food supply issues, with the Guardian looking at whether or not we should be eating more locally produced fruit and vegetables.

This would increase food security, but would reduce consumer choice, and are we prepared for this, particularly in the so-called hungry gap, when British production is largely reduced to root vegetables and brassicas.

Food critic Jay Rayner looks here at the current shortage of salad vegetables and argues that the factors that have contributed to this are a long time in the making, arguing that the market power of supermarkets is probably the largest factor in the current situation.

However, he also points out - rather unfashionably - that Brexit also plays its part.

Graham Watson

Graham Watson has taught Economics for over twenty years. He contributes to tutor2u, reads voraciously and is interested in all aspects of Teaching and Learning.

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