By Rob Merrick
March 23, 2020
Food rationing must be introduced immediately to prevent the UK running short of fresh fruit and vegetables, three experts have warned Boris Johnson.
The professors say supplies come predominantly from Spain and Italy, the two European countries hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic.
Furthermore, the switch by supermarkets to “just-in-time” supply chains has increased the risk of severe shortages in the weeks and months to come.
“Thirty years ago, the UK’s food retailers carried 10-12 days of stock – now they have just 24-36 hours of stock,” Professor Erik Millstone, of the University of Sussex, told The Independent.
Tim Lang, a professor of food policy at the University of London, echoed the call, saying the situation facing the country is so serious it is “Brexit times 20”.
“We’ve got to do demand management, not just blame people when they start getting three days or a week’s food supply,” he said.
“That’s nothing. Nothing. In my childhood, that’s what everyone did.”
