The impact of labour shortages on UK food availability and safety

Abstract

This research used a food systems approach to examine the impact of labour supply shortages on key aspects of the food system. It provides insight into the consequences of labour shortages as reported in 2021, the complex processes that combined to create the shortages and the resultant impact on the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) ability to effectively do its job. The research also explored consumers’ perceptions of food availability and food safety. Three key questions guided our research: how do labour shortages impact on food availability and safety, now and in the future? how do labour shortages impact the FSA’s ability to execute their protocol, now and in the future? what are consumers' perceptions of food safety and how does this relate to potential food risks arising due to labour shortages? To answer these questions, we needed to identify the key labour shortages across the food sector (food production, processing, and logistics) and the risks arising from those labour shortages in the wider food system. A summary of those risks as they relate to the FSA is presented below: