Food industry publishes post-Covid recovery plan

The proposals, endorsed by over 30 UK food and drink organisations, outline steps Government and industry can take to future proof the sector, and call on the Government to address the UK’s negative balance of trade in food.
Michael Bell, Executive Director of the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA) and coordinator of the report said: “Covid-19 has challenged the UK food and drink industry in a once in a generation way. Food manufacturers have been working harder than ever to ensure that the nation is fed – with companies having to adapt to an evolving situation at a rapid pace, responding to changes in demand and implementing social distancing measures.

“Within a short period of time, firms have reengineered and re-imagined processes, requiring a significant level of investment. Put simply, the industry has demonstrated both its ingenuity and its necessity in these unprecedented times.”

He added: “Just as the Government has taken courageous and rapid decisions to address the challenge of the pandemic, we now need to deliver a ‘pathway to recovery’ for UK food and drink. Industry stands ready to work with government on this, and our proposals published today outline actions government and industry can take to future proof the sector. In the short term we need to protect our capacity in food production, ensuring our domestic farming, processing and food service sectors are able to emerge from this crisis intact.”
He said the ‘path to recovery’ proposals provide the opportunity to deliver new gains for society across the UK.