Stock up on food to prepare for extreme weather, minister warns — SkimNews
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- Dame Angela Eagle warned UK households to store food for emergencies amid a strong El Niño event, citing increased risks of extreme storms, drier summers, and wetter winters
- National Audit Office (NAO) reported that the UK’s food supply chain is vulnerable to cyber-attacks, climate change, disease outbreaks, and global disruptions, with government reliance on private sector response deemed insufficient
- Defra has not done enough in recent years to strengthen food supply resilience, the NAO found, urging ministers to promote household preparedness like that seen in Finland, Sweden, and EU nations
- Phil Pluck of the Cold Chain Federation said the UK is 'pretty close to crisis' due to cyber threats from Russian hackers, El Niño impacts, and fragile logistics, supporting calls for household stockpiling
- UK government plans to release guidance by end of 2026 outlining 'small but important steps' for households to prepare for food and water shortages from extreme weather or cyber incidents
Why it matters: The NAO’s finding that Defra has underprepared for supply shocks—combined with warnings from officials and industry leaders—means UK households may face real disruption without personal reserves, shifting responsibility onto individuals despite systemic gaps. This reframes emergency readiness from convenience to necessity, with tangible risk to vulnerable populations if no coordinated action follows.
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