SAC Rural Policy Centre

Food is fundamental to the wellbeing of Scotland because it impacts not only on our economy, but also our culture, health and environment. From primary production, through processing and manufacture to consumption, there is a need to ensure that we have a secure supply of safe, high quality food.

Q1: What does food security mean for Scotland?

A: Food security in Scotland is about ensuring availability, access and affordability. We need sufficient and reliable supplies of food available to everyone where it is needed through a well-functioning transportation and distribution system. Nutritious food must also be available at prices that people on low incomes can afford to pay. Even in a relatively high income country such as Scotland, there are challenges to ensuring food security.

Q2: How do we produce quality food?

A: Scotland’s natural environment is a rich source of high quality food – we have the highest quality raw materials on our doorstep and we must preserve and capitalise upon our natural resources. When we match the quality of care in the process with the quality of care in production, Scotland has world beating products.

Q3: Does local food matter?

A: For as long as local food matters to consumers, it matter to producers. Increasing numbers of people are choosing and demanding local food. The innovative small scale producers of today, with the right kind of support, can be the large scale producers and employers of tomorrow.

Q4: How can we improve our food supply chain?

A: It is essential that we understand the inter-dependencies among producers, processors, retailers and consumers. We must continue improving relationships and encouraging links in the chain to work together. The high quality of Scottish production must be communicated effectively to the consumer, while the producer must also listen to what the consumer wants.

Q5: Food or the environment – which matters most?

A: These are intimately linked, so are equally important. For example, mitigating climate change and adapting Scottish farming and fishing industries to its impact will be impossible without also protecting ecosystems and biodiversity. Addressing environmental concerns is therefore an essential investment to ensure future sustainable food production.

For more information

• Rural Policy Centre Research Briefing on Marketing Channels for Local Food
• SAC Policy Briefing: Food Security
• SAC Consulting: Food & Drink
• BBSRC Food Security website
• Scottish Government website: Food & Drink
• Defra report: Valuing the benefits of the UK marine bill
• Scottish Government - Marine & Fisheries

10 Key Facts About Food

1. Gross Value Added (GVA) from the food and drink sector is £3.1bn (2007) which makes it the largest contributor to manufacturing GVA in Scotland.
2. Food and drink manufacturing accounts for 75% of turnover in the food and drink supply chain’s £11.1bn overall turnover (agriculture, fishing and manufacturing).
3. Consumer demand for local foods, foods with good animal welfare and fair trade has continued to increase in recent years, including during the economic recession.
4. Per capita of population, Scotland’s agricultural sector produces more food for human consumption than the agricultural sector in the UK as a whole. In 2007, Scotland per capita production was £336 while UK production per capita was £221.
5. Around 10% of UK households’ total domestic expenditure is on food and nonalcoholic drink.
6. Meat accounted for 20% of Scottish consumers’ total expenditure on food in 2007. Bread, flour and cereal accounted for 12%, while alcoholic drinks accounted for 11%.
7. 15% of total expenditure was on fruit and vegetables while 4% was on fish.
8. 28% of Scottish food processors sourced all of their inputs from Scotland in 2008. A further 16% sourced over 75% from Scotland.
9. Between 1990 and 2006, greenhouse gas emissions from food and drink manufacturing fell by 18%. In 2006, such reductions amounted to 9,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
10. In 2007, 20% of Scottish consumers chose to buy local food because it had not travelled so far and was good for the environment. 59% and 49% confirmed their support for local producers and local retailers respectively.

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