• Fewer than 1 in 10 (7%) people think the food system works well and should be left as it is   
• 4 in 5 (80%) see investment in healthy eating for children as a way to prevent illness and cut long-term costs  
• 9 in 10 (90%) say farmers deserve a fair price covering the real cost of production  
• 3 in 4 (71%) would feel more positively about a politician they heard talking about food grown in their area  
• 9 in 10 (92%) say it’s important that everyone has enough affordable healthy food (a view held across all parties and all parts of UK) – 3 in 4 (71%) say it is what matters most in the food system  
• 2 in 3 (65%) refuse to accept eating healthily should depend on income saying government should ensure people are able to eat to healthy foods, regardless of their income  

New polling out today shows huge public support for action on food.  It comes exactly one year on from the launch of the government’s food strategy and just after the publication of the strategy’s Citizen Advisory Council’s (CAC) report From the Ground Up.  It also lands at a moment when risks to food systems are increasingly visible, from global conflict to changing weather patterns.  

The findings reveal a striking consensus.  More than 2 in 3 (69%) say the government should do more to make sure food is healthy – including 88% of Green voters, 80% of Labour voters, and 59% of Reform voters. This desire for government action is consistent across the country with 72% in the South East, 71% in the North East, and 69% in Scotland saying they want government to do more. Interestingly, only 28% of people think food is currently a top priority for government – but when asked whether it should be, nearly half (45%) say food should be the top priority above transport, water and housing.    

It’s also clear that the public perceive food as a critical part of building resilience against climate and global shocks (with 88% identifying being resilient to global conflict or extreme weather as vital).  And more than two in three people (68%), including 65% of Reform voters, wanting food produced without damaging the environment, even if it costs slightly more.   

The message from the public is unambiguous: they want to see government taking the risks seriously and moreover being more ambitious about how healthy food, sustainably produced, transforms lives, strengthens communities and shapes a fairer and more resilient economy.  

Polling backs the Citizen Advisory Council recommendations  

The polling was commissioned by The Food Foundation (FF) and Food, Farming and Countryside Commission (FFCC), alongside their work with the CAC, to understand the level of public concern around issues relating to food.  The results provide strong evidence that public views align with the CAC’s recommendations that the food strategy should help devolve power and money to build local food infrastructure; support farmers to be paid fairly for the work they do; reform procurement so schools and hospitals prioritise local, healthy food; and introduce a clearer law that sets a clear direction for travel for the future food system.   

Trust in the food industry has collapsed  

Two in three people (66%) do not trust information from food advertisers. Nearly half (45%) do not trust what is printed on packaging and 55% do not trust big food brands. By contrast, nearly everyone (90%) trust farmers, 89% trust local green grocers and 86% trust recommendations from friends. The public is looking to government to guarantee honest information, giving fresh weight to the government's advertising restrictions and marketing reforms.  

A nation that takes food seriously  

The polling leaves no room for doubt about how seriously the British public regards food. Nearly everyone (93%) sees the connection between food and health – only 5% say what someone eats has little impact on their health. Very few people (7%) think the food system works well and should be left as it is. The majority (71%) say that everyone having access to affordable, healthy food is the most important thing to them about Britain's food system, a view held consistently across all parties (including 65% of Reform voters).  

Food as a route to pride in place & economic potential  

Food is closely connected in many people’s mind to their place, community and local economy - with 81% of people saying a thriving food culture is important and more than two in three (69%) saying eating food from their own community makes them feel proud and connected to where they live. Food is not a niche concern. It sits at the heart of how people understand health, community and a well-functioning society. Most people (73%) say that families, friends and communities eating together enhances their lives.   

More than half of the public want to see local food economies thrive and would shop at local shops if the cost was the same as supermarkets – a pattern seen across the country with, 60% of people in the South West, 50% in Yorkshire and 57% of people in Scotland choosing local if they could.   

The public also clearly understands the economic benefit of investment in healthy food for the long-term – with an overwhelming majority (80%) seeing investment in healthy eating for children to prevent illness and reduce long-term costs to the public purse.  

This polling suggests better food should be at the heart of national renewal.  

 Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive, FFCC says:  

“This polling reveals two particularly important points. Having enough good, healthy food, sustainably produced by UK farmers, is important to people across the political spectrum – a quite remarkable consensus. Yet 9 in 10 of them think the food economy is not working for them, right now. For a new PM, intent on making a real difference in peoples’ everyday lives, this is a clear steer towards the kinds of policies that people want to see delivered.”  

Hannah Brinsden, Head of Policy and Advocacy, The Food Foundation says  

“Across the country, and across parties, it is clear that the public wants government to take decisive steps to ensure everyone can access healthy, affordable and local food. One year after the government published its ambitions for a Good Food Cycle, these stats show there is still clear demand for bold action. With continuing international conflicts and unprecedented weather conditions increasingly in the news, a resilient food system that can support a healthy population even through turbulent times is recognised by the public as a necessity. All eyes are on the next Prime Minister to step up to ensure this happens.”