The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom's Food System

Traditional British food dishes include roast dinners, fish and chips, toad in the hole and shepherd’s pie, but without our farmers and other workers within the agrifood sector, we would not be able to enjoy these delights. 462,074 people made up the United Kingdom's agricultural work force in 2023, a 1.7% decline in comparison to 2022. Although a decline, the work force are incredibly important for the UK's food system, providing society with the resources and produce needed to help keep up with demand.

Every year the UK produces over 20 million tonnes of grain and produces over 4 million tonnes of flour. Sales of flour rose 82% during lockdown! Potatoes and tomatoes are two of the most popular vegetables to be grown on UK land, alongside lots of other vegetables suitable for the climate. The UK also breeds many animals for the meat and dairy industry. For example, in 2023, the total number of pigs was 4.7 million, sheep and lambs were 32.0 million and poultry was 178 million.

One of EIT Food's main tasks is to bring innovation, especially around food production and agriculture, to the market more quickly with the help of start-ups and thus to make the food system healthier and more sustainable together with SMEs.

Over 1 billion roast dinners are consumed in the UK every year!