At the start of the first lockdown, images of depleted supermarket shelves sparked fears of food shortages. In early April 2020, we saw headlines like “Coronavirus UK: Fears over food shortages rise as pandemic disrupts imported goods” and “Coronavirus broke the global food supply chain. It may never recover”.
However, this was a very short term phenomenon. In our recent case study, we explored the response and resilience of the UK fruit and vegetable food supply chain in the light of Covid-19. Through data collection, interviews and workshops, we found that, despite huge fluctuations the fresh food supply chain has responded remarkably well.
The resilience of the food supply chain is a matter of critical importance. Covid-19 has both tested the resilience, and offered an opportunity: a chance to consider the ability of the system to respond innovatively, and its capacity for change.
Read the full paper:
The impact of COVID-19 on the UK fresh food supply chain
