A leading food policy expert has warned that the United Kingdom should urgently begin stockpiling food to prepare for potential disruptions caused by climate shocks, war, or other global crises that could threaten national supplies.

Professor Tim Lang, a specialist in food policy, cautioned that Britain is currently ill-prepared for severe interruptions to its food system.

Speaking at an agricultural conference, he argued that the country’s dependence on imports and tightly concentrated supply networks creates significant vulnerabilities during periods of geopolitical or environmental instability.

The United Kingdom currently produces only about fifty-four percent of the food it consumes, meaning the remainder must be imported from overseas markets.

This level of self-sufficiency is significantly lower than in several other advanced economies, leaving Britain more exposed to disruptions in global trade or agricultural production.

Lang warned that the country’s modern food system, designed around efficiency and rapid "just-in-time" delivery, may struggle to withstand sudden shocks such as extreme weather events, cyberattacks, or military conflict affecting global supply routes.

The structure of the retail sector further concentrates risk: most food sold in the country is handled by a small number of major supermarket chains supplied through a limited network of distribution centres.

Research examining national food resilience has also highlighted how disruptions, ranging from climate-driven crop failures to geopolitical crises, could rapidly cascade through the supply chain.

Experts say the interconnected nature of global agriculture means that simultaneous shocks in multiple regions could significantly reduce food availability or trigger price spikes.

In Britain, the system relies heavily on imports of fresh produce, fertilisers and other agricultural inputs.

Analysts note that more than forty percent of food consumed in the country comes from abroad, increasing exposure to international disruptions and logistical bottlenecks.

Lang pointed to other countries that maintain strategic food reserves as a model for preparedness.

Switzerland, for example, maintains emergency stockpiles designed to sustain the population during prolonged crises.

He argued that Britain should consider a similar approach to ensure continuity of supply in extreme scenarios.

The expert also called for a comprehensive legislative framework to strengthen national food resilience, suggesting the creation of a Food Security and Resilience Act that would require government institutions to plan for worst-case scenarios and ensure the population can be supplied during emergencies.

Alongside stockpiling measures, Lang advocated increasing domestic food production and diversifying supply chains to reduce dependence on a small number of international sources.

He argued that strengthening local agriculture and improving resilience across the food system would help Britain withstand future disruptions without relying solely on global markets.

The warning comes as climate change, geopolitical tensions and supply-chain disruptions increasingly shape global food security debates.

Policymakers and researchers say the resilience of national food systems is becoming a critical element of broader national preparedness planning in an era of more frequent environmental and political shocks.