New local initiative aims to make food more affordable and reduce Liverpool's carbon footprint

A new plan to create a network of healthy, affordable and accessible local produce has been launched.

The first stage of the plan aims to create a detailed survey of the Liverpool City Region’s food ecosystem.

The new survey is the first by a city region and will analyse the production, supply and sale of local produce – from growers and wholesalers to schools and hospitality. It marks the first step towards creating a fair and sustainable LCR Food Network.

It has been launched in response to a major report commissioned by Mayor Steve Rotheram during the cost-of-living crisis which has revealed the scale of food poverty.

The report found the city region is home to half of England’s ten most deprived ‘food deserts’ – neighbourhoods of 5,000 to 15,000 people with poor access to affordable and healthy food.

To ‘shift the dial’ in a meaningful way, the study called for a fully collaborative and co-operative approach across the social, public, and private sectors. As a first step, the Combined Authority has commissioned a deep dive into the food system – leading to the creation of an interactive digital map.

Cllr Paula Basnett, Liverpool City Region Cabinet Member for Health and Inequalities, said:

“This initiative is a vital step towards building a healthier, fairer City Region. By understanding how food is grown, shared and accessed locally, we can begin to close the gaps that leave too many families struggling. It’s about creating a system where nutritious food is not a privilege, but a basic right—delivered in ways that support our communities and protect our environment.”

The report ‘Sustainable and Affordable Food for Liverpool City Region: Recommendations for Change’ was prepared by the VS6 Partnership which represents the city region’s 8,600 voluntary, community, faith and social enterprises.

It highlighted the need for decisive action in a city region where food insecurity is a significant problem faced by many families.

The report recommended, for the first time, co-ordinating and strengthening the efforts of the local voluntary sector – including foodbanks, pantries and community growers – to address the root causes of food insecurity.

It also called for the development of a detailed LCR Food Network. The new survey launched this week lays the groundwork.

The charity Feeding Liverpool has been commissioned to look at relationships within the local food system, including flows of food, funding, and influence, identifying opportunities for development and policy influence, and creating an interactive digital concept map which stakeholders can update.

If you’re involved in growing, making, moving, selling, or supporting access to food in the Liverpool City Region, please take a few minutes to complete this short survey.