More than 100 organisations, including major supermarkets, food businesses and investors have joined forces to call for the introduction of a Good Food Bill.

Led by The Food Foundation, Sustain and Green Alliance, they have warned the government that a failing food system is a threat to national security and public health.

Today’s statement is also supported by dozens of NGOs and academics, along with big name retailers such as M&S and the Co-op, comes as polling finds:

• 69% of people think the government should be doing more to ensure everyone can afford and access healthy food

• 65% of people support a ‘Food Bill’ that would introduce duties and targets on government bodies to make healthy food more accessible and affordable

With unprecedented challenges posed by biodiversity loss, the collapse of vital ecosystems, and the potential of food shortages and additional rises in food prices, the statement’s backers say a Good Food Bill offers a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the government to protect citizens, farmers and food businesses”.

Anna Taylor, executive director at The Food Foundation, believes a Good Food Bill would transform the food system for generations to come.

“Governments can achieve important wins within a single term, but only legislation can lock in change, providing certainty and protecting progress from shifting political priorities,” she said.

“With food strategies and legislation already in place across the devolved nations, this is a timely opportunity for Westminster to introduce legislation that benefits the whole UK.

“We are calling on the Government to seize this moment, commit to new primary legislation and lead the change needed to build a food system fit for the future.”

Businesses including Marks & Spencer, Danone, Co-op Group, Bidfood, The Compleat Food Group and major caterers Elior and Sodexo have joined health organisations and NGOs in calling for a Good Food Bill.

Andrew Clappen, director of food technology at M&S Food, said: “To ensure national food security, we need a strong cross-Government commitment which is supported by industry to increase domestic food supply.

“We support this call for a Good Food Bill, to refocus our national approach to build sustainable supply chains, increase investment in climate resilience and support farmers and growers to put nutritious food on our plates.”

Kath Dalmeny, chief executive, Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming said: “A Good Food Bill would give farmers, growers, businesses and communities the long-term certainty they need to invest in sustainable practices. The UK currently has very little strategic oversight to ensure everybody gets properly fed. But through smart investment, aligned trade policy and the right targets, legislation can unlock opportunities for growth, build resilient supply chains, and create a food system that works from farm to fork – supporting sustainable farming, protecting public health, and ensuring nobody goes without healthy, nutritious food in a country as wealthy as our own.”

“If getting prepared to feed the public well in times of shock was taken seriously, we’d have to redesign the food system to make that happen. Placing a duty on authorities to be able to feed all the public well in crises means civil food resilience becomes real”

Tim Lang, professor emeritus of food policy at the Centre for Food Policy, City St George’s, University of London, said: “If getting prepared to feed the public well in times of shock was taken seriously, we’d have to redesign the food system to make that happen. Placing a duty on authorities to be able to feed all the public well in crises means civil food resilience becomes real. We cannot just trust to luck or big retailers to feed us in crises. Food resilience is a common good. Such a duty would mean food is taken as seriously as the energy system. If we can plan to keep the lights on, why not plan to keep people fed?”

Main image: (Courtesy The Food Foundation) – logos ode to some of the organisations and businesses backing statement calling for a Good Food Bill