UK food and drink manufacturing and processing businesses are facing unprecedented challenges in keeping affordable food on the nation’s table, a report on industry employment has found.

The survey by the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink (NSAFD) – the Skills Insights and Labour Market Focus – has found that rising energy and transportation costs are hitting food and drink manufacturing and processing harder than other sectors.

According to NSAFD, over three quarters (77%) of businesses are experiencing staff shortages in jobs without high skill hurdles, with 45% of those surveyed describing the situation as “chronic”. Some 60% of food and beverage businesses have experienced low applications for advertised jobs, resulting in higher labour costs.

In the face of labour shortages, demand for increased productivity is leading to more widespread uptake of smart technology manufacturing processes. However, economic and labour market challenges, coupled with threats of recession, are liable to affect the ability and willingness of firms to invest in transformational plant and associated training, said NSAFD.

Future-proofing the industry

Looking to the future, NSAFD claims that the industry is likely to require an increasing range of multi-disciplinary business skills, not just those typically associated with food production. These include digital skills, procurement, supply chain management, environmental management, sustainability and data analysis and management.

Over 80% of businesses are ‘strongly in favour/in favour’ of the Apprenticeship Levey but most want greater flexibility in its use to support other programmes, traineeships and employees. Apprentices represented 1% of the workforce in over half of responding businesses, 1-2% in 20% of firms and 2-3% in over a quarter of companies surveyed.

A full copy of the report is available by contacting info@nsafd.co.uk.