‘UK shoppers aged under 50 have so far never experienced food-price inflation.’ Essentially, throughout most Britons’ lifetimes, food has become cheaper. But, in December, the inflation rate (by the government’s preferred consumer price index, the CPI) was 2.1 per cent, while for all foods it was 5.9 per cent. ‘Habits will change, although it’s unlikely we’re going to see Soviet-style queues at empty shelves.’

“But as the situation stands today, at least a third of the world - including the populations of China, Russia and India - have government-imposed price limits on their foods.

‘That’s how it’s going, says Lang. ‘You can’t wriggle out of the facts. There are water shortages, climate change, energy price rises, population demographics, waste. We can’t go on eating meat the way we do: the economics of it just won’t add up.’

He’s not expecting food riots in Britain -yet. ‘But we’re entering a long period of restructuring, and politicians will have to get involved,’ he says. ‘For years, successive governments have got used to food prices going down. The “leave it to Tesco” policy has dominated. But that’s over. After half a century, food security is on the political agenda again.’”

Is this the end of cheap food? | Focus | The Observer