Yes, there are criminal gangs but there is also corporate fraud inside the sector

Food crime can happen everywhere and ranges from fraud, theft and illegal processing to waste diversion, adulteration, substitution, misrepresentation and document fraud.

As seen during the pandemic, as well as with Brexit and the war in Ukraine, food supply chains are extremely fragile and it is a criminal phenomenon that has happened often throughout history.

Food supply has gone through several challenges in recent years starting with the pandemic and now the Ukraine conflict, and the impact that is having on wheat supply. These challenges have had implications for the food system and they could trigger the commission of food crimes, by opening illegal opportunities.

The types of criminal groups involved are what we can refer to as corporate actors. They are not necessarily organised crime or mafia-style groups in a typical way but rather organised corporate food actors that are committing illegitimate activities to increase their profits.

In other words, they tend to come from within the sector and take advantage of the opaqueness and vulnerability of food supply chains.

Organised crime groups, especially mafia-type operations, are operating in food logistics. For instance, using food containers or cargos to hide drugs or weapons, or running restaurants for money-laundering purposes.

Food crime practices are also happening outside the UK in countries such as the US as well as China or Italy. Public institutions in this country are already doing a lot by monitoring closely the supply chain and testing products.

A further way to combat food crimes should, first and foremost, be strengthening the food systems globally and locally and, for example, protecting public interests beyond public health and the national economy, such as food security, environmental sustainability and food workers’ rights.

Since different forms of food-related criminality can overlap – for example, there can be fraudulent breaches of food safety and workers’ safety regulations. It would be good to improve the cooperation among the different agencies involved such as law enforcement agencies at national and local levels and further authorities. Increased public funding for these agencies as well as for lab testing could also help further counter food crimes.