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This suite of five short summaries examine the impacts Covid had on 5 key UK food sectors.  Based on interviews with key stakeholders and critical insight from the project’s Expert Panel, and containing key quotes, case studies and commentary on a range of key issues, these Research Briefs describe the different ways Covid impacted each […]

The brown / edible / ‘pasty’ crab   By Steve Guilbert Is there anything more evocative of the British seaside summer holiday than eating cod and chips on a windy, drizzly prom whilst fending off marauding seagulls and staring silently out to sea?  Perhaps not.  As Britain’s coastal hospitality sector gears up for what will […]

  By Tim Wilkinson The second part of the National Food Strategy was published on the 15th July in a two-part report: with one part proposing a set of recommendations (‘The Recommendations’ report) and the second presenting ‘The Evidence’. The independent review, led by Henry Dimbleby, makes 14 recommendations to government and presents evidence in four […]

  By Tim Wilkinson What are they? The last year has seen a dramatic rise in the demand for takeaways and delivery. A portion of that market is serviced by what are known as “Dark Kitchens” or “Cloud Kitchens”. These kitchens prepare food for meal delivery only; they don’t have tables or offer food for […]

  By Prof. Michael Winter Sustain has issued a survey report exploring how good food enterprises have adapted to the pandemic one year on. Good Food Enterprises: Adapting to the pandemic, one year on was published on the 16th June. Sustain define ‘good food enterprises’ as ‘those that use farmer focussed supply chains, prioritise healthy […]

  By Prof. Michael Winter  In recent weeks, the press has been full of stories about labour shortages in many parts of the food system. In another recent post on this site CRPR colleague Caroline Nye examines the farm labour situation. Here I will take a look at another part of the food system, transport […]

  By Tim Wilkinson and Matt Lobley Context We sent 4000 paper questionnaires to land managers in the South West in late October 2020; sending reminders and receiving responses until early December 2020. We received 1117 completed surveys; a 28% response rate. The survey was distributed to farmers in the wider South West including Cornwall, […]

  By Caroline Nye* The Centre for Rural Policy Research recently published a new report, Farm labour in the UK: Accessing the workforce the industry needs, commissioned and funded by The Worshipful Company of Farmers with additional funding from The John Oldacre Foundation. The report sought to do two things. The first was to determine […]

  By Prof. Terry Marsden* It will be important for the National Food Strategy to explicitly address and propose a new vision for British food and farming; to outline in some detail where we should be trying to get to, what are the end goals (by 2030, and 2040); and to outline how a combination […]

  By Tim Wilkinson The Covid road map is very date based. 12 April. 17th May. 21st June. It doesn’t say anything about how those changes might be experienced. In this short piece, I look at the experience of a business owner and at my own experience of going out to eat in the last […]