UK farmers making tiny profits as supermarkets boast record takings
GuardianMAY 2023
UK: Farmers Stage Tractor Protest in Central London
Image copyright: Leon Neal/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
Brexiteers had pledged that the farming sector would be better off if the UK, which imports nearly half of its food and has traditionally neglected domestic production, left the EU. Unsurprisingly, the country is now on the brink of major food shortages due to a combination of border checks that brought confusion, ill-planned subsidies, and price pressure from retailers.
Right narrative
Though post-Brexit agricultural policies do play a role in the current farming crisis, these are only minor factors within a much wider problem. Following farming protests in France and Germany, it was only a matter of time before British farmers escalated their demonstrations. Unsustainable high productions costs, crop losses, and slow economic growth throughout Europe cannot be blamed solely on Brexit.