The Food Foundation’s 2025 Broken Plate Report is out, and it’s a stark reminder that the UK’s food system is in crisis. While some progress has been made since the first report, the speed of change is far too slow, and the consequences are becoming impossible to ignore. From the rising cost of healthy food to the environmental toll of our diets, the report paints a worrying picture of a system that’s failing people and the planet.
The Cost of Eating Well
Let’s start with the most immediate issue: affordability. The report highlights that healthy food is now three times more expensive than unhealthy options. For families on tight budgets, this isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a barrier to good health. The poorest 20% of households would need to spend half their disposable income to meet the government’s Eatwell Guide recommendations. Meanwhile, ultra-processed foods, packed with sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, remain cheap and widely available.
This isn’t just about money; it’s about inequality. Children in the most deprived areas are twice as likely to be obese as those in wealthier areas. The food system is deepening health divides, and it’s costing the NHS billions and impacting our children disproportionately.
The Environmental Toll
It’s not just our health that’s suffering—our planet is paying the price too. The report shows that the UK’s food system is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with meat and dairy production being the biggest culprits. Despite growing awareness of the climate crisis, we’re still not eating enough sustainably produced food. Not only this, but the reliance on food imports means our carbon footprint, even for plant-based foods, is higher than it used to be.
A System Stuck in the Past
One of the most frustrating findings is how little has changed since the first Broken Plate report. The food industry continues to prioritise profit over health, with aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods, particularly to children. Voluntary schemes to reduce sugar and salt levels have had limited success, and government action has been painfully slow.
The report calls for stronger regulation, including mandatory targets for reducing sugar and salt, stricter advertising rules, and better support for sustainable farming. But so far, these calls have fallen on deaf ears.
What Needs to Change?
The Broken Plate 2025 report isn’t just a critique—it’s a call to action. Here are some of the key steps needed to fix our broken food system:
- Make Healthy Food Affordable: Subsidies for fruit, veg, and other healthy staples could help level the playing field.
- Tackle Food Inequality: Expand free school meals and ensure everyone has access to nutritious food, regardless of income.
- Regulate the Food Industry: Mandatory targets for reducing sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats are long overdue.
- Support Sustainable Diets: Make plant-based options more affordable and invest in sustainable farming practices.
- Educate and Empower: Teach children about healthy eating and cooking skills to set them up for life.
A Final Thought
The Broken Plate 2025 report is a wake-up call. It’s a reminder that the food system isn’t just about what’s on our plates—it’s about our health, our environment, and our future. While the challenges are huge, the solutions are within reach. But we need action, not just words.
As consumers, we can make a difference by choosing healthier, more sustainable options and demanding better from the food industry. But ultimately, it’s up to the government to lead the way. The question is: will they step up before it’s too late?
Let’s hope the next Broken Plate report tells a more hopeful story. Until then, it’s clear that the time for change is now.
For more details, you can read the full report on The Food Foundation’s website.
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