Campaigners have raised concerns that households are experiencing increasing pressure on their food bills due to deteriorating soil conditions and unpredictable climate patterns. The Save Soil movement estimates that the average household might face additional costs amounting to hundreds of pounds annually.
The group highlights that poor soil quality recovers slowly, making crops more vulnerable to extreme weather events like droughts, heatwaves, and floods, which can lead to significant losses in yields and volatile price changes.
Irregularly
Advocates for soil restoration argue that improving soil health is one of the most cost-effective strategies to mitigate future economic shocks. They emphasize that families with lower incomes, who allocate a larger portion of their budget to food, are particularly susceptible to price increases.
In early June, the Met Office reported that the El Nino climate phenomenon could lead to milder, wetter, and windier conditions in the UK during the autumn and early winter months. El Nino, a warming of the Pacific Ocean near the equator, influences global weather patterns.
There are also concerns about the impact of climate changes on British food imports, with speculation that 2027 might become the hottest year on record. El Nino events occur irregularly, typically every two to seven years, and usually last between nine to 12 months.
Flatlined
Praveena Sridhar, the chief policy and science officer of Save Soil, points out that basic food items like potatoes, bread, and vegetables could be notably affected by the rising financial strain on households. She states, “Prices are influenced by energy, labor, and global markets, but soil determines the severity of each shock. Healthy soil retains water during droughts and maintains structure during floods, ensuring stable yields and prices.”
Save Soil is advocating for the establishment of a legally binding target for soil health, alongside a national soil-monitoring program and increased funding for farmer guidance and education.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released last week indicated that UK inflation unexpectedly remained steady last month, as a reduction in food price increases balanced out the impact of rising airfares.
Roadmap
The ONS reported that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation rate was 2.8 percent in May, consistent with the rate in April. Food and drink inflation decreased to 2.2 percent from 3 percent in April, reaching its lowest point since December 2024.
A government spokesperson commented, “We are implementing various measures to help keep costs down for families, including the expenses of the weekly shop. We are committed to sustaining domestic food production by investing billions in new technology to boost yields, develop climate-resilient crops, and assist farmers in producing more food. Additionally, we are enhancing our water supply by constructing new reservoirs for the first time in 30 years.”
The spokesperson also mentioned that the government will introduce “the 25-year farming roadmap with specific initiatives to enhance soil health and support our farmers in adapting to changing climate conditions.”
This Author
Vicky Shaw serves as the personal finance correspondent for Press Association.
