A Large, Expanding Market For Agrifood Products
The UK’s 67.7 million consumers¹ spend £254 billion annually on food and drink, and increased their expenditure by 37% in the decade to 2019. The market shows strong growth in added-value premium and niche products including vegan, organic, more nutritious and ‘free-from’ foods.² At present, the UK produces 61% of the food it consumes, while the EU supplies 79% of imported food and drink.³
Drivers of Transformation in tthe UK Agrifood Sector
However, Covid-19, reduced integration with EU supply chains (due to Brexit) and plans to deliver net zero carbon food chains are likely to drive the sector’s transformation, through shorter, more resilient supply chains and expanded domestic production and storage.
Lincolnshire Expertise in Agrifood Robotics and Automation
The UK’s food industry, in common with the sector globally, is finding it harder to secure the workforce it needs. Since 2015, it has therefore become a strategic priority to invest in automation, robotics and new skills to increase productivity.
In Lincolnshire, this has led to the creation of Europe’s largest team of agricultural and food sector robotics experts, supported by industry and government, to develop world-leading, long-term solutions to labour supply constraints. The industrial application of these technologies presents significant growth opportunities for investing businesses.
Sources:
(1) UN, 2023
(2) gov.uk, 2022.
(3) House of Lords, 2019 (latest report as of April 2024)