UK supply chain unprepared for major shocks such as war, report warns

Britain’s supply chains are not prepared for major shocks such as war with Russia, and ministers are urged to adopt bolder worst-case scenario planning. The warnings connect to concerns about rising fuel and food costs linked to the war in the Middle East, including government requests for supermarkets to consider freezing prices of essentials. A report from the National Preparedness Commission highlights vulnerabilities in supply chain resilience against threats including a new pandemic, climate crisis, and renewed focus on Russia. The report says Britain lags European peers in stockpiling critical medicines and calls for shifting government focus from avoiding stockpiling to determining how and where to stockpile. It notes pandemic benefits from pre-emptive medicine stockpiles and points to patchy compliance with buffer stock requirements for hospitals, with no mandated approach for pharmacies in primary care.

"Britain's vital supply chains are unprepared for the prospect of a major shock such as war with Russia, and bold steps are needed to catch up with worst-case scenario planning by European states, ministers have been warned."

"The report, launched privately at Westminster last week, puts a spotlight on the resilience of Britain's supply chain and how it could be tested by looming dangers ranging from a fresh pandemic, the climate crisis or what is now focusing the minds of officials: a war with Russia."

"It said that Britain is lagging behind other European countries when it comes to the stockpiling of supplies such as critical medicines, and called for fresh thinking. The conversation in government should shift from why we should not stockpile to how and where we might most sensibly do it."

"In terms of stockpiling for the health sector alone, it noted that medicine suppliers are required to hold at least eight weeks of buffer stock for hospitals, but compliance is patchy and not mandated for pharmacies serving primary care. The government also has no intention to produce a critical medicines list or to strategically stockpile cr"

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