Advertisement
Become a member of the Big Issue community
JOIN
Social Justice

Summer’s over but a no-deal Brexit will bring problems beyond holiday hunger

A forecast of food shortages mean some councils could have to scrap their nutritional standards for school meals

Free school meals

Last week Prime Minister Boris Johnson reassured the public that all was going to plan as the government prepares for a no-deal Brexit – just days after a leaked warning that major food shortages could be on the cards after October 31.

But the UK imports nearly 30 per cent of its food from the EU. And for families who rely on free school meals during term time – those who struggle to keep everyone fed during the holidays – Brexit threatens to take away even the basic safeguard of good school dinners.

In council Brexit planning papers leaked to the BBC, authorities across the UK said they could be forced to abandon their nutritional standards for school meals because getting hold of certain foods might be too difficult.

Some councils, like North Tyneside, said they might have to turn to more tinned and frozen food amid fears that fresh produce could be in short supply.

Hastings Borough Council even braced readers of its Brexit risk papers for the reintroduction of rationing. Bedford Borough Council advised that holding four to six weeks’ supply of non-perishables would be wise.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Experts at North Ayrshire Council pointed to the rising food prices as evidence of the negative impact Brexit would have on school meals, admitting that it “might need to amend school nutrition standards”. There is a risk suppliers will prioritise supermarkets, they said, creating shortages in public sector catering.

Andrew Selley is chief executive of Bidfood, one of the country’s biggest food suppliers to schools, hospitals and care homes. He said the company is having to organise its own preparations for a no-deal Brexit, including buying new warehouse space to store
in-demand goods.

The supplier is looking at building up stores of imports like pasta, tuna, tinned tomatoes, olive oil and rice, Selley said.

It’s true that many popular imports can’t be replaced with domestic equivalents, he added, saying: “Because of our changing tastes, unless we’re going to go back to a menu based on the 1700s, we are going to look at imported products and imported tastes and imported flavours.” He also warned that the government will have to invest more cash into free school meals.

But chair of the Local Government Association’s Brexit taskforce Kevin Bentley said councils are “as prepared as they can be” given the resource, information and advice gaps not being met by central government.

In England, food standards require that school meals include one or more wholegrain variety of starchy foods each week; at least one portion of both fruit and vegetables per day; at least three different fruits and three different vegetables each week; oily fish at least once every three weeks; and no snacks but nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables. That could be a thing of the past if Boris Johnson drags the UK off the Brexit cliff-edge.

Advertisement

Become a Big Issue member

3.8 million people in the UK live in extreme poverty. Turn your anger into action - become a Big Issue member and give us the power to take poverty to zero.

Recommended for you

View all
The real Byker Grove: Inside the youth clubs that inspired Ant and Dec's childhood TV classic
Youth worker Jennie Maughan at the Chevron youth centre in Byker
Youth clubs

The real Byker Grove: Inside the youth clubs that inspired Ant and Dec's childhood TV classic

Three million children are facing hunger in the UK – with kids under four most at risk
boy leaning back on a wall looking sad
Poverty

Three million children are facing hunger in the UK – with kids under four most at risk

Disability benefits system is damaging claimants' health, DWP's own analysis finds: 'It's degrading'
disability benefits
Disability benefits

Disability benefits system is damaging claimants' health, DWP's own analysis finds: 'It's degrading'

'Food is expensive': How free community meals have become lifelines for people struggling to survive
foodcycle meal
Poverty

'Food is expensive': How free community meals have become lifelines for people struggling to survive

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know
4.

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know