The UK food system is undergoing its most ambitious rethink in decades, as a £47.5m UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) programme sets out 27 practical actions to reshape how food is grown, produced and consumed.
The findings, published alongside 12 academic papers in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, call for healthier diets, stronger communities and lower environmental impacts across the nation.
Launched in 2021, the five-year Transforming UK Food Systems programme brings together more than 200 partners from universities, government, industry and charities.
Its mission is clear: place public health and the natural environment at the centre of how food is produced and eaten, while building long-term resilience into supply chains.
Why the food system matters
Food is not only central to health and wellbeing, but also a major driver of climate change, biodiversity loss and economic inequality.
Poor diets contribute to obesity and chronic disease, while farming and supply chains generate significant greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, millions face barriers to accessing affordable, nutritious meals.
The UKRI programme highlights that fixing the food system could unlock multiple benefits at once – cutting emissions, improving health, boosting productivity and supporting farmers.
By aligning research, policy and practice, the initiative seeks to join the dots between diet, environment and social equity.
Five themes for transformation
The 27 actions have been grouped under five interconnected themes, each addressing a critical part of the food system.
Regenerative production calls for independent advice for farmers, ‘lighthouse’ demonstration farms and long-term monitoring of environmental and financial outcomes.
Manufacturing and supply chains prioritise incentives for British pulses, legislation to make surplus food redistribution mandatory, and new digital platforms to localise logistics.
Food environments focus on supermarket interventions, expanded voucher schemes, clearer labelling and reformulated menus in schools and hospitals.
Empowered communities aim to strengthen local food enterprises, rebalance supply-chain power in favour of producers, and embed community voices in decision-making.
Policy and governance recommendations include applying systems thinking to public procurement, improving national-local coordination and exploring a cross-government food systems body.
Research highlights shaping policy
The programme’s research portfolio is already generating insights with real-world impact.
School breakfast trials reveal that children readily accept higher-fibre bread, offering a simple fix for the UK’s ‘fibre gap’.
In hospitals, careful menu swaps could cut meal-related carbon emissions by nearly 20% without changing recipes.
Food affordability remains a key focus. Expanding voucher schemes could make healthier, sustainable foods more accessible to low-income households.
Meanwhile, a proposed ‘Sus-Health Index’ would create a simple combined label showing both nutritional and environmental scores, guiding shoppers toward better choices at a glance.
On the supply side, UK-grown beans and peas are being championed as affordable, protein-rich and climate-friendly staples that can support domestic farming while reducing reliance on imports.
Building healthier communities
Community empowerment is woven throughout the programme. Strengthening food co-operatives and social enterprises is seen as vital to improving resilience, while shifting supply-chain dynamics could give farmers and small producers more influence.
Importantly, the programme emphasises co-production – ensuring local communities have a say in shaping food strategies that affect them directly.
Training the next generation
Beyond immediate interventions, the initiative is investing in long-term expertise.
A doctoral training centre is hosting 56 students across three cohorts, building the next generation of food system specialists capable of tackling complex, cross-disciplinary challenges.
A blueprint for national strategy
As the UK Government continues to shape its food strategy, the UKRI evidence offers timely, practical recommendations.
The research demonstrates that incremental changes, such as adjusting public sector menus or mandating the redistribution of surplus food, can deliver measurable benefits today while systemic reforms prepare the ground for long-term transformation.
By connecting researchers with policymakers, businesses and communities, the programme is creating a blueprint for a food system that is not only healthier and fairer, but also more resilient to global shocks.
Towards a sustainable food system
The vision is ambitious but achievable: diets that benefit both people and the planet, farming practices that regenerate rather than deplete, and supply chains that share value more equitably.
Collaboration lies at the heart of this transformation, as stakeholders across society work together to reimagine how food is produced, sold and eaten.
The Transforming UK Food Systems programme shows that solutions already exist, and that with coordinated action, the UK can lead the way in building a food system fit for the future.
