The man charged with leading the first major review of the UK food system for 75 years says he hopes a new panel of industry big hitters will stand up and challenge ministers on the big issues.
Leon founder Henry Dimbleby said he had deliberately appointed free thinkers who were not scared to rock the boat but also “not afraid to change their minds”.
The Grocer can reveal that among the list of heavyweight industry names appointed to the 23-strong National Food Advisory Panel are former Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King, Unilever UK & Ireland general manager Sebastian Munden and Bidfood CEO Andrew Selley. It also sees Greggs CEO Roger Whiteside and Ocado CTO Paul Clarke line up alongside agriculture figures such as NFU boss Minette Batters and academics including Susan Jebb, who used to spearhead the industry’s Responsibility Deal.
Dimbleby, who was appointed to the role in May, said he did not want “a load of boring meetings” and would run the panel on an ad hoc basis to discuss major issues facing the industry including the environment, concerns over the impact of meat consumption and the obesity crisis.
“I wanted people who are not afraid to speak their minds, not people who will always agree,” he said. “I know the people I’ve appointed will tackle this work with vigour but they are also people who are capable of changing their minds.”
Meanwhile, Dimbleby criticised the government’s obesity strategy, saying it needed more direction.
He also promised to try to tackle the “toxic” fallout between vegan campaigners and farmers, which has included violence in the recent Extinction Rebellion demonstrations, by getting representatives from both sides “in the same room”.
“I’ve been speaking to animal farmers and to vegans. The tone of the debate has been completely toxic. We have become dehumanised and it’s been very ugly and I don’t think it’s helped. We need to be able to thrash out the questions without the bloodshed,” he said.
A call for evidence on the strategy ended last week and Dimbleby said he was planning a nationwide series of meetings with grassroots businesses and individuals interested in changing the food system, including setting up local citizens panels which would meet in places such as supermarkets to discuss new environmental solutions.
“I don’t think the issues need to be just left down to government. There are also key questions for businesses. Do they want to just give customers everything they want or do they want to help their customers live better lives?”
A call for evidence on the strategy ended last week and Dimbleby said he was planning a nationwide series of meetings with grassroots businesses and individuals interested in changing the food system. He is due to publish his National Food Strategy next year and the government has pledged to respond with a White Paper within six months of that publication.
“I don’t think the issues need to be just left down to government. There are also key questions for businesses. Do they want to just give customers everything they want or do they want to help their customers live better lives?”
“I would hope that these major issues of food policy are on the manifestos of all the parties no matter what happens in the election”
The NFU’s Batters said the strategy was “long overdue” and needed to put the interests of British farmers at its heart.
A senior retailer source told the Grocer: “I am impressed with Henry’s approach. I think he is a breath of fresh air and really wants to make sure there isn’t just a talking shop and that it’s not just a London based group of all the usual suspects.” However, one health campaigner source added: “There has to be a big question as to why someone from the fast food chain industry, which has done so much to contribute to the obesity crisis, is thought to be the person to lead the new food strategy.”
Dimbleby said he continued to have high levels of support from the likes of new Defra secretary Teresa Villiers and her predecessor Michael Gove, the former environment secretary who appointed him before becoming Brexit tsar.
He admitted the General Election added uncertainty to the longevity of his role but added: “I took this job knowing there was a risk I wouldn’t finish it and I am hoping that won’t happen. But I would hope that these major issues of food policy are on the manifestos of all the parties no matter what happens in the election.”
Who’s on the list?
Agriculture
1. Minette Batters - President, NFU
2. Helen Browning - Chief Executive, Soil Association
3. Craig Livingstone - Farmer of the Year, 2018
4. John Shropshire - Chairman, G’s Farm
Industry
5. Paul Clarke - Chief Technology Officer, Ocado
6. Justin King - Former Chief Executive Sainsburys, Non-executive director, Marks & Spencer
7. Sarah Mukherjee - Chief Executive, Crop Protection Association
8. Sebastian Munden - General Manager, Unilever UK & Ireland
9. Andrew Selley - Chief Executive, Bidfood
10. Alastair Storey - WSH Founder and Chief Executive
11. Gerard Van der Hut - Managing Director, Rijk Zwann UK
12. Roger Whiteside - Chief Executive, Greggs
Non-governmental bodies, arm’s-length bodies, and campaigners
13. Denise Bentley - Founder, First Love Foundation
14. Baroness Boycott - Member, Food, Poverty, Health and the Environment Committee, House of Lords, former Chair of the London Food board
15. Tony Juniper - Chair, Natural England
Academics and experts
16. Meredith Crowley - Reader in International Economics, University of Cambridge. Specialising in international trade
17. David Halpern - Chief Executive, Behavioural Insights Team
18. Susan Jebb - Professor of Diet and Population Health, University of Oxford. Member, Public Health England Obesity Programme Board
19. Tim Leunig - Visiting Fellow, Economic History, London School of Economics
20. Steve McCorriston - Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Exeter
21. Theresa Marteau - Director of Behaviour and Health Research Unit, University of Cambridge
22. Jeremy Oppenheim - Senior Managing Partner, Systemiq
23. Jonathan Valabhji - National Clinical Director for Diabetes and Obesity, NHS England
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