With party manifestos now setting out competing visions for Scotland’s future, it is vital that commitments on food affordability are matched by credible plans to protect domestic food production and security.
Any proposals aimed at improving affordability for consumers are understandable given the ongoing cost-of-living pressures facing households across Scotland.
However, it is important to recognise the practical realities of how food is produced. Farming and crofting businesses operate in a high-cost, high-risk environment, with margins already under sustained pressure from volatile input costs, labour challenges and increasing regulatory demands. At the same time, the complexity and opacity of modern supply chains can make it difficult to see where value sits, often leaving primary producers with limited influence despite carrying significant risk.
Policies that risk distorting market returns, including the introduction of price caps on food, have the potential to create unintended consequences across the supply chain. Where retail prices are constrained, that pressure does not disappear – it is typically passed back to primary producers, many of whom are operating on very tight margins.
These pressures are not hypothetical. As NFU Scotland has set out in its recent
Call for Government Action, external shocks such as rising fuel and fertiliser costs are already influencing on-farm decisions and threatening future domestic production if not addressed.
There is also a wider consideration around Scotland’s long-term food security. A resilient domestic agricultural sector depends on farmers and crofters being able to operate viable businesses. If that viability is undermined, it risks reducing domestic production and increasing reliance on imports, which can expose both producers and consumers to greater volatility.
A balanced approach is needed – one that supports consumers while also recognising the economic realities of food production. Ensuring fairness and transparency across the supply chain remains critical to delivering both affordable food and a sustainable future for Scottish agriculture.
While the challenges are clear, they also present an opportunity. With the right support from the next Scottish Government, there is scope to drive greater supply chain transparency and back innovation that strengthens resilience, improves fairness, and supports a more sustainable and competitive future for Scottish agriculture.
Notes to Editors
- A link to the NFUS Call for Government Action paper can be found here
Ends
Contact Carly Ross on 07860 642826