IGD foresight reveals that this problem is set to escalate if proactive action is not taken to address the ‘ticking timebomb’. The ‘Mmmake Your Mark’ campaign is returning for 2025, to attract talent by collaboratively raising awareness of the breadth of diverse career opportunities available across the food system.
According ONS projections, in the next ten years the UK population will grow from 69.9m (2025) to 73.4m (2035) meaning more food and drink will be needed.
IGD says with existing workforce challenges set to worsen, it’s critical for businesses to think about tomorrow’s workforce today by recruiting and training the people they need now. Last year, 4.2m people worked in the food and drink supply chain in the UK, making up around 13% of all employment or more than one in eight jobs.
The ‘Mmmake Your Mark’ campaign harnesses that scale to attract talent, by uniting the industry, trade bodies and the Government to showcase the diverse and rewarding career opportunities available. In 2024, 55 businesses came together for ‘Mmmake Your Mark’, reaching over seven million people on social media.
This year, IGD is calling on more businesses to get involved, to create even greater impact. On Thursday 27th August, IGD will encourage all businesses across the food system to join us in posting on social media about careers in the industry and to share any other posts using the hashtag #mmmakeyourmark or tag @mmmakeyourmark.
Sarah Bradbury, chief executive of IGD, said: “The workforce timebomb is something we simply cannot ignore as an industry. If we fail to take collective action, not only will it have a commercial impact for businesses, it also becomes a UK food security issue, affecting accessibility of food and inflation.
“We know from our own learning & development programmes that young people are largely unaware of the opportunities available and skills required in the food system, as well as the sense of purpose and impact a career in food and drink can offer.”