Recent research commissioned by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) and conducted by Newcastle University provides an overview of the ways in which labor shortages in critical food system roles are affecting food safety and availability, as well as FSA’s ability to carry out its responsibilities.
Specifically, the study examined the risks related to FSA posed by labor shortages of butchers; heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers; food packers and pickers; meat hygiene inspectors (MHIs); official veterinarians; and retail, foodservice, and warehouse employees. “Labor shortages” as defined by the report are instances where the numbers of workers with a given skillset required to run the operations in an industry, sector, or specific node of a supply chain exceeds the number of skilled people available to work or willing to take up employment at the current level of remuneration for the skillset. The report takes a systems approach to its analysis, recognizing the breadth of issues impacting labor shortages and the interconnectedness of food system sectors.