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With the strongest El Niño phenomenon seen in a generation forming over the Pacific Ocean, households have been advised to stock up on food in preparation for extreme weather conditions. Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle highlighted the expected increase in severe storms across the UK as a result of this powerful natural event. She emphasized the need for individual preparedness to enhance resilience during such emergencies.
Dame Angela explained that the upcoming El Niño is likely to bring drier summers and wetter winters to the UK, accompanied by more intense storms. “It will do a lot more damage in Asia with flooding, and therefore I think that we need to take it seriously,” she said. She urged people to maintain some food supplies to sustain themselves until emergency services can assist, describing this as a way to be “a bit more resilient.” These remarks came alongside a report from the National Audit Office (NAO), which warned about vulnerabilities in Britain’s food supply chain from various threats including cyber-attacks, plant and human disease outbreaks, and the broader impacts of climate change.
The NAO’s report pointed out that the Department for Food, the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) relies too heavily on the private sector to manage disruptions in the food supply. It criticized the department for insufficient efforts to bolster supply chain resilience in recent years. Furthermore, the report observed that UK households are less prepared for emergencies in comparison to nations such as Finland, Sweden, and other European Union countries. It recommended that ministers should promote better household readiness and adapt strategies employed by these other nations to reduce risk.
Responding to the report, Defra acknowledged the increasing complexity of food supply risks and affirmed ongoing collaboration with farmers and industries to strengthen resilience. A spokesperson stated, “While our food businesses and supermarkets have continued to feed the nation through significant disruption, we will carefully consider the report’s findings and recommendations as part of our ongoing work to build a more resilient, productive and sustainable food system.” In addition, the government plans to present a strategy by the end of 2026 that will guide households on small but important measures to prepare for potential food and water shortages due to severe weather or cyber threats.
Phil Pluck, chief executive of the Cold Chain Federation, which represents firms handling temperature-controlled food transport, warned that the UK is nearing a crisis point. He told the BBC’s Wake Up to Money program that Russian cyber-hackers are targeting vulnerabilities in the supply chain. Pluck also cited El Niño, global shipping disruptions, and pandemic threats as reasons why relying solely on the private sector is inadequate. When asked whether the public should stock up on supplies, he responded affirmatively, “Yes, we should. There should be some sensible stocking in each household. And the government in the autumn will be telling all of us to do that.”
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