Weather, war and energy prices have put supplies under severe pressure. From British rhubarb to DIY dairy, here are some simple alternatives that could fill the gaps
I have known about the frailty of the UK’s supply chains for a long time – I first wrote about the problem over a decade ago, and I too survived the great loo roll shortage of 2020. But this spring, I couldn’t get hold of any lettuce – hardly a crisis, except I was writing a book about salad. It wasn’t just one shop – because of strikes in Spain, fuel costs and the weather, none of the supermarkets had any.
It’s not just lettuce: thanks to a combination of war, weather, and rising energy and feed prices, the UK could see less of everything from mustard to coffee, wine to risotto rice. When you’re used to being able to buy anything you like, it’s a shock to be reminded just how global this island’s food supply really is.
We produce a lot of food here: the UK is close to self-sufficient in grains such as barley and oats – although 2020 was a bad year for wheat – but the global grain shortage caused by the war in Ukraine still has knock-ons for us, ratcheting up feed and fuel prices, and making it harder to produce dairy, eggs and meat.
Nor is it just about shortages: food inflation is predicted to hit between 15 and 20% this year. When supply chains get choked up or farmers can’t make ends meet, food becomes expensive, fast. The UK has to import about half its food supply, and here – unlike in poorer countries – people are going hungry not because of a lack of food on supermarket shelves, but because they can’t afford to buy it.
