Most UK food comes from abroad

A new study reveals that more than half of the UK’s food and feed comes from overseas.

The study published by the Journal of the Royal Society Interface noted that more than two-thirds of the land needed to produce the UK’s food and feed is outside of the country. Researchers say this means that 64% of the related greenhouse gases are emitted on foreign soil.

According to the study, since 1986, the size of this land has grown by 23% to match increasing demand, with associated CO2 emissions rising by 15%.

The land is mainly in South America, the EU and south-east Asia. The study said the damage done by the country’s agricultural requirements is being “outsourced” to these areas.

“Producing sufficient, healthy food for a growing world population amid a changing climate is a major challenge for the 21st century. However, agricultural trade has implications for national food security and could displace environmental impacts from developed to developing countries,” the study added.

The UK is currently importing over 50% of its food and feed, whereas 70% and 64% of the associated cropland and greenhouse gas impacts, respectively, are located abroad

Now experts warn that the growing reliance on foreign food could also make it more difficult for the UK to become self-sufficient.

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