Key action areas for transforming the UK food system: insights from the Transforming UK Food Systems (TUKFS) Programme project portfolio
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The UK food system is a driver of the public health crisis of non-communicable disease, is linked to the cost-of-living crisis, and contributes to climate change, biodiversity loss and soil degradation. The economy relies strongly on the health of its people and food businesses, while also impacting the livelihoods of food system actors. However, action towards more resilient, equitable and regenerative food systems remains too slow and unambitious to adequately address these challenges. The Transforming UK Food Systems Programme comprises a wide range of research projects which address these challenges in a novel place-based, co-produced and action-oriented way. We provide 27 suggested action areas for supporting food system transformation, grouped in five themes spanning production, manufacturing, supply chain and consumption. Among the suggestions, there is a strong emphasis on the importance of co-production with food system actors and affected citizens. We highlight the vital role of governance and policy in supporting these action areas in both a structural and financial way, noting that this needs both national policy and regional approaches to take into account geographically varying cultural circumstances and values, and to allow the high level of co-production necessary.This article is part of the theme issue 'Transforming terrestrial food systems for human and planetary health'.
Authors: Sarah Bridle, Kelly Parsons, Guy Poppy, Tracey Duncombe, Lynn V. Dicks, Bob Doherty, Alex Johnstone, Christian Reynolds, Carol Wagstaff, Fergus Lyon, Sam Buckton, Ben Dare, Martin White, Christopher Yap, Roya Shahrokni, Riaz Bhunnoo, Hannah Mitchell, Ioan Fazey, Dominic Moran, Christopher Turner, Jonathan Beacham, John Ingram, Peter Jackson, Rebecca Wells, Katherine Denby, Tom Macmillan, Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, Maria Bryant
Institutions: University of York, University of Cambridge, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, University of Reading, University of Aberdeen, City, University of London, City St George's, University of London, Middlesex University London, UK Research and Innovation, University of Edinburgh, University of Greenwich, University of Oxford, University of Sheffield, Royal Agricultural University, National Institute for Health and Care Research, NIHR Applied Research Collaboration West
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: hybrid
Funders: Government of the United Kingdom, UK Research and Innovation, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK Government, Directorate for Biological Sciences, Medical Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council
Awards: Transforming Urban Food Systems for Planetary and Population Health (The Mandala Consortium), G1895962321, G2406445477, G2518061463, G3505007512, Healthy soil, Healthy food, Healthy people (H3), Transformations to Regenerative Food Systems, CoCentre for Sustainable Food Systems, FIO-FOOD, Food Insecurity in people living with Obesity - improving sustainable and healthier food choices in the retail FOOD environment., Co-production of healthy, sustainable food systems for disadvantaged communities, SALIENT (food System triALs for Impact on Environment, Nutrition and healTh), G6700262001, Increasing UK Dietary Fibre - The Case for the Great White British Loaf, G6939195466, The Partnership for Sustainable Food Future Centre for Doctoral Training (PSFF-CDT), G7423115183, G7575957581, G7910212521, G7911405742, G8597487531
OpenAlex ID: W4414338281