UK General Election manifestos on food and beverages: What do they promise?

20 Jun 2024 --- With the General Election fast approaching and parties recently releasing their manifestos, Food Ingredients First examines the key pledges of the main three parties and explores what they could mean for the F&B industry.

Party manifestos come at a decisive moment for the industry. According to the State of Industry Report Q1 2024 from the Food & Drink Federation, food and beverage investment remained 30.5% below its 2019 levels and is not predicted to rise to pre-pandemic levels in the short-term.

The term “food security" appears in all three manifestos, and given the backdrop of economic and political uncertainty, rising prices and farmer protests, this comes as no surprise. Propping up sustainable supply chains across key food commodities and ingredients is a vital strategy for manufacturers, suppliers and brands.

Labour promises to prevent “unnecessary border checks"
The party’s manifesto is lighter than its peers when it comes to the F&B industry, however, it does mention its plans to negotiate a “veterinary agreement" to prevent unnecessary border checks and help tackle the cost of food. Food producers have consistently expressed concerns about the negative impact of post-Brexit border checks, which have exacerbated supply chain issues and increased waiting times.

The party says it has ambitions to “secure a mutual agreement for professional qualifications to help open up markets for UK services exporters.”

It also stresses that “food security is national security.”

“That is why we will champion British farming while protecting the environment. We will target half of all food purchased across the public sector to be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards,” outlines the document.

Mark Lynch, partner at corporate finance house to the consumer industries, Oghma Partners, says he was happy to see Labour’s plans to prevent unnecessary border checks and help tackle the cost of food.

“This is great news for the food industry and consumers, particularly for the smaller food exporters who have been particularly hard hit by Brexit related issues,” he tells Food Ingredients First. Lynch adds that it seems Labour has “listened to the food industry” by outlining ambitions to rejoin the EU Veterinary and Phytosanitary regime, but it could go further still.

“Congratulations to the industry bodies that have lobbied so hard for this policy. It’s a shame that Labour haven't followed the Liberal Democrats further and committed to rejoining the single market as a longer-term goal,” he argues.

Elsewhere in its manifesto, Labour also pledges to wage war on junk food advertising and said it would ban advertising junk food to children, alongside banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s.

The conservatives pledge to always look for the right deal for farmers.Conservatives say they are “backing farmers"
The Conservatives' manifesto takes aim at Labour, stating that “it will never be on the side of the farmers.” It promises to increase the UK-wide farming budget by £1 billion over the Parliament, ensuring it rises by inflation every year.

“Farmers will be able to spend every extra penny on grants to boost domestic food production on top of maintaining our approach to Environmental Land Management Schemes,” it promises, adding that it will give farmers the ability to trade with European neighbors with a minimal need for checks.

The party also reveals plans to launch a “first of its kind” UK Food Security Index that will help it determine where best to concentrate farming funds.

It pledges: “We will always look for the right deal for farmers. We will continue to support UK agri-food and drink attachés in our embassies abroad, pioneering new markets and new opportunities for our domestic food and drink industry.”

Liberal Democrats want to “rejoin the single market"
The party goes the furthest of its peers in wanting to “join the single market” to place the UK-EU relationship “on a more stable footing”. The party declares that the UK’s food system is failing to serve the interests of farmers and consumers alike.

The party intends to “give farmers and fishers a fair deal” by introducing a range of programs to stimulate the sector. It also intends to support farmers' trade with European countries with minimal barriers by negotiating comprehensive veterinary and plant health agreements, similar to Labour’s pledge. 

It adds: “All these measures will help to restore the British economy and the prosperity and opportunities of its citizens, and are also essential steps on the road to EU membership, which remains our longer-term objective.”

It also commits to introducing a holistic and comprehensive National Food Strategy to ensure food security, tackle rising food prices, end food poverty and improve health and nutrition.

Lynch says: “I was interested to read the Liberal Democrat manifesto. For the food and beverage industry it offers a ray of light with a commitment to negotiate a comprehensive veterinary and plant health agreement.”

“I would prefer an open commitment to rejoin the current EU veterinary and phytosanitary regime — however, at least one party recognizes the damage that this area of Brexit has caused to UK Food exports.”

Industry organizations urge the next government to address key costs such as the business rates burden.Looking ahead to other areas 
Food inflation should be a key focus for the next government, something that isn’t mentioned in great detail in any of the parties’ manifestos. According to the latest CPI figures, food inflation has fallen 1.2 percentage points to 1.7%.

Kris Hamer, director of insight of the British Retail Consortium, says this is great news, but there is more work to be done. He explains: “Retailers are working hard to limit price increases for their customers, and the next administration must play their part in reducing cost pressures on retailers and the customers they serve.”

“Addressing key costs such as the business rates burden, which leads to customers paying a higher price at the till, must be a priority for whoever forms the next government.”

Meanwhile, other industry bodies, such as the Food and Drink Federation, have called on the next government to take a joined-up approach to food policy across Whitehall. 

Earlier this year, when the organization released its own manifesto, its chief executive Karen Betts stressed that building a “resilient, sustainable, innovative and growing food and drink manufacturing sector of tomorrow that the UK needs and deserves” should be the next government’s priority.

The UK General Election takes place on July 4.

By Sade Laja