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| Enjoy your coffee – you may soon not be able to afford it | Enjoy your coffee – you may soon not be able to afford it |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Four pints of milk for | |
| £1; a jar of instant coffee for 47 pence; a family pack of beef frying steaks | £1; a jar of instant coffee for 47 pence; a family pack of beef frying steaks |
| for £2.28*; these are the kind of rock-bottom prices that many in the west have become accustomed to paying for household essentials. But the prices of everyday groceries like these may rise | for £2.28*; these are the kind of rock-bottom prices that many in the west have become accustomed to paying for household essentials. But the prices of everyday groceries like these may rise |
| significantly as the global | significantly as the global |
| water crisis worsens. | water crisis worsens. |
| When you look at a loaf | When you look at a loaf |
| of bread or a slab of beef the water content might not be the first thing that | of bread or a slab of beef the water content might not be the first thing that |
| springs to mind. But these are among the most water-heavy foods and as the world’s available water | springs to mind. But these are among the most water-heavy foods and as the world’s available water |
| supply dries up, we will increasingly no longer be able to afford them. | supply dries up, we will increasingly no longer be able to afford them. |
| “The era of free water | “The era of free water |
| is over,” says Dan Crossley, executive director at the Food Ethics Council: “We’re | is over,” says Dan Crossley, executive director at the Food Ethics Council: “We’re |
| likely to have to pay more for drinking water and for the water that goes into | likely to have to pay more for drinking water and for the water that goes into |
| growing and making our food. We can expect to see food prices yo-yo-ing up and | growing and making our food. We can expect to see food prices yo-yo-ing up and |
| down in the future, but on a general upward trend.” | down in the future, but on a general upward trend.” |
| Water-heavy or | Water-heavy or |
| water-rich foods are the products which demand a particularly high level of | water-rich foods are the products which demand a particularly high level of |
| water to produce them. This water is often referred to as embedded water or | water to produce them. This water is often referred to as embedded water or |
| virtual water. With meat, for example, it’s the water that’s needed for the | virtual water. With meat, for example, it’s the water that’s needed for the |
| crops, which are grown to feed the animals as well as the water involved in the | crops, which are grown to feed the animals as well as the water involved in the |
| process of raising and slaughtering the animals. Factory-farmed beef is an example | process of raising and slaughtering the animals. Factory-farmed beef is an example |
| of an incredibly water-heavy food as it takes ninety bath tubs worth of water (15,000 | of an incredibly water-heavy food as it takes ninety bath tubs worth of water (15,000 |
| litres) to produce a single kilogramme. | litres) to produce a single kilogramme. |
| Water availability is a | Water availability is a |
| major issue because of climate change (widespread floods and droughts), the global | major issue because of climate change (widespread floods and droughts), the global |
| expansion of the western diet (the shift in China, for example, to eating more | expansion of the western diet (the shift in China, for example, to eating more |
| meat and dairy), a rising world population and our insatiable demand for | meat and dairy), a rising world population and our insatiable demand for |
| bio-fuels. | bio-fuels. |
| As the UK imports much | As the UK imports much |
| of its food, we’re effectively importing the water it takes to grow it, says Melvyn | of its food, we’re effectively importing the water it takes to grow it, says Melvyn |
| Kay, a spokesperson for the UK Irrigation Association. He says that for | Kay, a spokesperson for the UK Irrigation Association. He says that for |
| example, we’re buying potatoes from Egypt, grown with water from the Nile and | example, we’re buying potatoes from Egypt, grown with water from the Nile and |
| this means we’re literally importing water from the Nile, a precious resource. | this means we’re literally importing water from the Nile, a precious resource. |
| He says: “In the | He says: “In the |
| future, it’s unlikely that countries will be able to afford to export their | future, it’s unlikely that countries will be able to afford to export their |
| water to us like this. But it’s probably going to take price hikes in certain | water to us like this. But it’s probably going to take price hikes in certain |
| foods for people in the UK to realise the extent of problems with the global | foods for people in the UK to realise the extent of problems with the global |
| water situation.” | water situation.” |
| Beef – a thirsty meat | Beef – a thirsty meat |
| Meat is generally a | Meat is generally a |
| water-heavy food, though it depends on the circumstances – if animals are kept | water-heavy food, though it depends on the circumstances – if animals are kept |
| on the land and not intensively factory reared, it’s more efficient. For factory | on the land and not intensively factory reared, it’s more efficient. For factory |
| farmed meat, however, it takes 33 bathtubs of water to produce a | farmed meat, however, it takes 33 bathtubs of water to produce a |
| single kilo of pork and 24 bathtubs go into a kilo of chicken but beef | single kilo of pork and 24 bathtubs go into a kilo of chicken but beef |
| tops the list: it soaks up 90 bathtubs. It’s forty times more water | tops the list: it soaks up 90 bathtubs. It’s forty times more water |
| intensive to produce factory-farm meat than it is to keep animals on the land, | intensive to produce factory-farm meat than it is to keep animals on the land, |
| according to Philip Lymbery, author of Farmageddon: The True Cost of Cheap Meat. | according to Philip Lymbery, author of Farmageddon: The True Cost of Cheap Meat. |
| Lymbery says: “Cattle | Lymbery says: “Cattle |
| on pasture eats grass that’s watered by rainfall. But if you take cattle off | on pasture eats grass that’s watered by rainfall. But if you take cattle off |
| pasture and put it in enclosures and feed it human-edible crops, which demand a | pasture and put it in enclosures and feed it human-edible crops, which demand a |
| lot of water to produce, it’s far less sustainable.” | lot of water to produce, it’s far less sustainable.” |
| The bottom line is that | The bottom line is that |
| over the next few years, the price of factory farmed meat may soar, says Lymbery. However, he points out that if prices of factory meat rise, there could be a | over the next few years, the price of factory farmed meat may soar, says Lymbery. However, he points out that if prices of factory meat rise, there could be a |
| drop in the price of pasture-fed, sustainable beef, as the demand for this | drop in the price of pasture-fed, sustainable beef, as the demand for this |
| product would rise. | product would rise. |
| Tea | Tea |
| Tea is a very delicate | Tea is a very delicate |
| crop which is highly sensitive to water. It grows predominantly in eastern | crop which is highly sensitive to water. It grows predominantly in eastern |
| sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, which are exactly the areas where climate change | sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, which are exactly the areas where climate change |
| is likely to hit hardest, says Simon Billing, senior sustainability adviser at | is likely to hit hardest, says Simon Billing, senior sustainability adviser at |
| Forum for the Future, who works with the multi-stakeholder project Tea 2030. | Forum for the Future, who works with the multi-stakeholder project Tea 2030. |
| “It’s also a labour-intensive crop, and as people increasingly want to work in | “It’s also a labour-intensive crop, and as people increasingly want to work in |
| factories and in cities, this may also push up the price of tea.” | factories and in cities, this may also push up the price of tea.” |
| While the tea industry | While the tea industry |
| is working on how to breed more resistant crops and cope with the water crisis, | is working on how to breed more resistant crops and cope with the water crisis, |
| the key message is that if we want to enjoy a cuppa in the future, we need to | the key message is that if we want to enjoy a cuppa in the future, we need to |
| value it now. | value it now. |
| “The cheapest of the | “The cheapest of the |
| cheap is not sustainable when it comes to tea,” says Billing: “We may think of | cheap is not sustainable when it comes to tea,” says Billing: “We may think of |
| it as an everyday product but unless we’re prepared to pay a little extra and | it as an everyday product but unless we’re prepared to pay a little extra and |
| for that money to be passed along the supply chain, we risk it being a luxury | for that money to be passed along the supply chain, we risk it being a luxury |
| product in the future.” | product in the future.” |
| Coffee | Coffee |
| Brazil, which produces | Brazil, which produces |
| around a third of the world’s coffee, has seen its worst droughts for a decade, | around a third of the world’s coffee, has seen its worst droughts for a decade, |
| which was partly why the cost of coffee rose for five consecutive months until | which was partly why the cost of coffee rose for five consecutive months until |
| April this year. The latest figures, from the International Coffee Organisation | April this year. The latest figures, from the International Coffee Organisation |
| (ICO), show a drop in price in May. It reached a high of 179 cents/lb in April | (ICO), show a drop in price in May. It reached a high of 179 cents/lb in April |
| and fell to a low of 153 cents by the end of May. However, the price of coffee | and fell to a low of 153 cents by the end of May. However, the price of coffee |
| is likely to remain volatile; despite the droughts leading to a drop in | is likely to remain volatile; despite the droughts leading to a drop in |
| production it may be that adequate supplies in the chain mean that consumers | production it may be that adequate supplies in the chain mean that consumers |
| have not yet felt the hit of a rise in coffee prices. | have not yet felt the hit of a rise in coffee prices. |
| Oranges | Oranges |
| In April, the US department of agriculture reported that the Florida orange crop was at a | In April, the US department of agriculture reported that the Florida orange crop was at a |
| 24-year low – which drove the price of orange juice to its highest level in two | 24-year low – which drove the price of orange juice to its highest level in two |
| years. The production of oranges in Florida (the largest producers of oranges) was | years. The production of oranges in Florida (the largest producers of oranges) was |
| hit by a particularly dry growing season and the spread of a disease known as | hit by a particularly dry growing season and the spread of a disease known as |
| citrus greening, which also affected production in Brazil. | citrus greening, which also affected production in Brazil. |
| The result has been | The result has been |
| volatile prices for orange juice: an example of the fluctuations in price that | volatile prices for orange juice: an example of the fluctuations in price that |
| food may experience in the future, according to Jacob Tompkins, managing director of Waterwise. | food may experience in the future, according to Jacob Tompkins, managing director of Waterwise. |
| “Once prices reach a | “Once prices reach a |
| certain level as they have recently with orange juice in the States, in some | certain level as they have recently with orange juice in the States, in some |
| cases, consumers stop buying so much of the product,” says Tompkins. “Once this | cases, consumers stop buying so much of the product,” says Tompkins. “Once this |
| happens, the price has to drop to get them to buy it again, so you can be in a | happens, the price has to drop to get them to buy it again, so you can be in a |
| situation where production is bad and the price is low. It’s an example of how | situation where production is bad and the price is low. It’s an example of how |
| market economics can mean that the price of groceries is all over the place.” | market economics can mean that the price of groceries is all over the place.” |
| Bread | Bread |
| Grain prices in the UK | Grain prices in the UK |
| take their lead from the international market. There have been recent price | take their lead from the international market. There have been recent price |
| hikes caused both by the political unrest in Ukraine and the droughts in | hikes caused both by the political unrest in Ukraine and the droughts in |
| the grain-growing belts of the US, both of which are major exporters of | the grain-growing belts of the US, both of which are major exporters of |
| grain, says Jonathan Lane, trading director at Gleadell Agriculture Ltd, a | grain, says Jonathan Lane, trading director at Gleadell Agriculture Ltd, a |
| grain trader. The weather in the US has now stabilised, for the time being, | grain trader. The weather in the US has now stabilised, for the time being, |
| and predictions for the harvest are improving, and therefore, prices have significantly | and predictions for the harvest are improving, and therefore, prices have significantly |
| lowered. However, grain demand is an issue for food as well as feed for | lowered. However, grain demand is an issue for food as well as feed for |
| animals and there’s uncertainty about how farmers can meet grain demand in the | animals and there’s uncertainty about how farmers can meet grain demand in the |
| future as well as how much consumers will end up paying for a loaf. Lane says: “Prices | future as well as how much consumers will end up paying for a loaf. Lane says: “Prices |
| of grain are already volatile. Fifteen years ago, they were relatively flat but | of grain are already volatile. Fifteen years ago, they were relatively flat but |
| now it’s not unusual to see significant changes in the price due to the demand | now it’s not unusual to see significant changes in the price due to the demand |
| for grain, the weather and political unrest in the countries which are major | for grain, the weather and political unrest in the countries which are major |
| exporters of grain.” | exporters of grain.” |
| “Droughts may mean | “Droughts may mean |
| these areas become unsuitable to grow grain so there’ll be a shift to the land | these areas become unsuitable to grow grain so there’ll be a shift to the land |
| further north. There’s uncertainty about how we’ll meet grain demand in the | further north. There’s uncertainty about how we’ll meet grain demand in the |
| future, says Tompkins. | future, says Tompkins. |
| What can you do about | What can you do about |
| it? | it? |
| Eating less meat is a quick way to reduce our consumption of water-heavy foods. Wasting less food is also critical: when we chuck food, we’re also effectively throwing away the water that’s | Eating less meat is a quick way to reduce our consumption of water-heavy foods. Wasting less food is also critical: when we chuck food, we’re also effectively throwing away the water that’s |
| been used to produce that food. “Throwing away food that was produced in water | been used to produce that food. “Throwing away food that was produced in water |
| scarce areas is doubly wrong, as you may be depriving someone in need,” says | scarce areas is doubly wrong, as you may be depriving someone in need,” says |
| Crossley. | Crossley. |
| *These prices, found on www.mysupermarket.co.uk, were correct at the time of going to press. | *These prices, found on www.mysupermarket.co.uk, were correct at the time of going to press. |
| Interested in finding out more about how you can live better? Take a look at this month's Live Better challenge here. | Interested in finding out more about how you can live better? Take a look at this month's Live Better challenge here. |
| The | The |
| Live Better Challenge is funded by Unilever; its focus is sustainable | Live Better Challenge is funded by Unilever; its focus is sustainable |
| living. All content is editorially independent except for pieces | living. All content is editorially independent except for pieces |
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