Marks & Spencer’s head of food, Alex Freudmann, has urgently called on the government to establish a legally binding target to boost the percentage of domestically produced food in Britain. He highlighted the country’s dwindling self-sufficiency in food production, emphasizing the need for a clear and concrete goal to enhance local food security amidst global challenges such as the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and the climate crisis.
Freudmann, who leads the food division of this premium retailer, which partners with 10,000 British farms, stressed that only a legal target, akin to net zero emissions goals, could effectively support farmers and influence decisions on planning and resource allocation. He criticized the present system that currently sees less than half of the UK’s food consumption supplied from within the country, arguing that this needs to increase significantly to ensure a stable food supply.
Freudmann argued for simpler financial incentives and training programs to attract young people into farming and insisted that the government should maintain consistent food standards for imports as it does for British goods. He pointed out the inadequacy of current planning policies, which he believes have hindered the expansion of certain agricultural sectors, like poultry and egg farms, to meet growing demand.
M&S, according to Freudmann, remains committed to sourcing 100% of its major products from British farms and is investing £7m to help farmers adopt advanced technology and sustainable practices over the next five years. By 2030, the retailer aims for all of its British products to originate from farms employing regenerative techniques.
Freudmann emphasized the superiority of British food, attributing M&S’s high standards to the support provided to its farming partners. He asserted that the future of British agriculture cannot solely depend on the food industry and called for urgent policy action, noting that 6,000 farms closed last year, many of which supported a family.
The government has faced significant pushback from farmers due to changes in agricultural support and tax policies, including proposals to remove an inheritance tax break for farming estates. Farmers are also navigating the overhaul of the government’s environmental farming scheme, which compensates them for Nature-friendly practices. Despite plans to simplify this program, the government has yet to expedite concrete actions.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/sep/06/marks-spencer-food-chief-calls-for-concrete-target-on-british-produce
