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Interview
How should policymakers plan for supply chain disruption?
Policymakers and manufacturers need to recognize that food systems are complex, with all kinds of interlocking challenges. Even when disruption originates outside of agriculture, such as the global pandemic, geopolitical conflict, and energy volatility, they quickly translate into higher food prices, disrupted supply chains, and uncertainty for producers and consumers alike. To future-proof our food systems, siloed solutions aren’ t enough.
Only a systems approach will bring about urgently needed change. Industry and policymakers must assess and monitor the entire value chain at a systems level, so they can plan ahead and manage disruptions. This must include an especially critical but often-overlooked part of our food systems: the“ critical middle” of the food value chain. The processing, packaging, storage, logistics, and distribution stages get food from producer to consumer, yet despite their importance to food security and resilience, these parts of the system can be overlooked. Strengthening them can also help food producers remain competitive, improve productivity, invest for the future and respond to changing consumer and market needs. Policymakers can play a role here by incentivizing innovation and investment to strengthen these crucial areas.
In the future, what does a more resilient food system look like, and how will packaging contribute to that transformation?
To build the food systems of the future, we face a critical need for solutions that will lower energy use, cut emissions, and improve efficiency across the value chain, without compromising on food safety, access or affordability.
The changes we make today must equip Europe’ s food system for a future defined by volatility, climate pressure, and global competition. Innovation will be key. New developments in processing and packaging can reduce waste and extend shelf life, while in plants and factories, digitalized production systems can help industry respond to disruption, and automation helps address labor shortages and improves productivity.
Ambient distribution enabled by aseptic processing and packaging helps build in urgently needed flexibility, operating alongside the cold chain for multiple pathways to deliver safe, nutritious food when refrigeration is limited, disrupted or simply not practical.
Ultimately, food security isn’ t only about growing enough food. It’ s about ensuring that food stays safe, nutritious, available, and affordable from farm gate to consumer, through every step of an increasingly complex global supply chain. Packaging should not be overlooked as a vital part of the value chain of the future, helping to make our global food systems flexible, resource-efficient, and more resilient. ■
Katie Carson www. tetrapak. com / en-gb
Katie Carson is Director for Corporate Affairs Food & Climate Policy at Tetra Pak. Katie has over 20 years of policy and advocacy experience in the agri-food sector. She joined Tetra Pak in 2022 and is responsible for leading the Tetra Pak Food and Climate advocacy agenda, as well as building out the company’ s sustainable food systems strategy with a focus on the enabling role of food processing technologies and packaging solutions in the transition to more sustainable food systems.
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