logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2
42m 29s

The Cost of Food

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Sheila Dillon is joined by a panel at Abergavenny Food Festival to ask - why is food costing so much more than it used to, and what would it take to build a food system that works better for everyone?

Food prices in the UK have risen dramatically in recent years, while healthier food remains out of reach for many families. At the same time, farmers, growers and food businesses say they are struggling with rising costs, squeezed margins and growing uncertainty.

So who is benefiting from the current system? Who is under pressure? Are we paying too much for food, or in some cases not enough? And what would a fairer, more sustainable food economy actually look like?

Joining Sheila Dillon are Food Programme presenter and award-winning journalist Dan Saladino; Vicki Hird, one of the UK's leading food policy experts and Strategic Lead on Agriculture at The Wildlife Trusts; and Welsh food writer, broadcaster and food strategist Simon Wright, who is currently developing a National Food Strategy for Wales.

Produced by Natalie Donovan for BBC Audio in Bristol.

Up next
Sep 25
The BBC Food and Farming Awards 2026: The Food Producers
Each year The BBC Food & Farming Awards celebrates food producers who are going above and beyond to create delicious and sustainable food. They are examples of how food can be a force for good, improving our local areas, health and environment. In this programme judges Sheila Dil ... Show More
41m 27s
Sep 18
Stories of Food and Poverty
Dan Saladino visits the annual Oxford Food Symposium and explores its theme of 'poverty food'.Stories told at the event ranged from the historic links between breadfruit and the slave trade and the cooking demos organised for the poorest families in Edwardian London. We also hear ... Show More
41m 34s
Sep 10
What the Normans Did for Our Diet
On BBC Radio 4 we’re marking the arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry in London by exploring the impact of the Norman invasion. In this programme, food historian Dr Annie Gray travels to Normandy to investigate how the Norman Conquest changed what we eat and drink.The Normans crossed t ... Show More
42m 21s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2016
Trailer - Introducing Bite
Join acclaimed food and farming blogger Tom Philpott, Mother Jones editors Kiera Butler and Maddie Oatman, and a tantalizing guest list of writers, farmers, scientists, and chefs as they uncover the surprising stories behind what ends up on your plate. We’ll help you digest the f ... Show More
1m 41s
Apr 2024
Viral Mango Ice-Cream & Mario Kart
05 April 2024: Talking to some of the UAE’s incredible foodies! Kicking things off with SHI Restaurants Founder & CEO Diana Rysbaeva. From Attiko, it’s Chef Moon. Chats with Zehra from @z.blogs, Lukas Tremmel, Frying Pan Adventures and Hussni & Chef Jon from the Salmontini Group. ... Show More
59m 23s
Feb 2023
I hope you're hungry
17 February 2023: Helen chats to the husband and wife team behind Wokyo Jones the Grocer shares their Ramdan menu Co Chocolat opens the First Farm-to-Table Chocolate Factory in the Middle East Alice from What's On has got the latest food news Chef Eyal Shani talks about his new r ... Show More
58m 49s
Sep 2023
Padma Lakshmi on Supertasting, Imposter Syndrome and What’s Sexy
From new in the nation to “Taste the Nation,” the no-nonsense author, host and activist has learned a bit about herself while teaching the rest of us about food. Plus: The secret to incredible romesco sauce. Recipe: Asparagus with Romesco Sales and distribution by Lemonada Media. ... Show More
47m 51s
Mar 2021
The food that broke through lockdown
On the streets of Bucharest a woman unwraps a package of Chinese pepper ... and falls in love. In Portland Oregon, a family finds a new home - in a farmers market. A food writer opens her front door in London and finds a Chinese banquet waiting for her. On a cold winter’s morning ... Show More
28m 32s
Sep 2024
What’s the future of food? A chef and a cardiologist answer | TED Intersections
What does food mean to you, your community and our planet? With ​​personal accounts from the kitchen to the operating room, chef and content creator Jon Kung and cardiologist Uma Valeti unpack how food cultivates creativity and offers opportunities to connect with and blend cultu ... Show More
24m 11s
Feb 2018
Artisanal food - Natural foods
The politics and meaning of 'alternative' foods: Laura Miller, Associate Professor of Sociology at Brandeis University, discusses her study of 'Natural Foods'. How did what was once a culturally marginal set of ideas evolve from associations with spirituality and bohemian lifesty ... Show More
27m 57s
Mar 2023
Ramadan recipes
Dima from Spinneys shares recipes that she developed for the Holy Month. Clinical dietitian Danya Nasser Al-Atrash advises on how to stay healthy while fasting. We meet two chefs specialising on both Portuguese Nikkei and Lebanese cuisines. MY Govinda's Sanjit Advani talks about ... Show More
1h 3m