Food, Water & Energy in the UK

The UK is a high-income country (HIC) with a large population — around 67 million people — and high per capita resource consumption. This lesson examines how the UK manages its food, water, and energy needs, where the pressures come from, and what challenges lie ahead. This is a key part of the AQA specification and is often tested as a shorter-answer section in the exam.

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Overview of UK Resource Demands

The UK faces a growing challenge: its population is rising, its lifestyles are becoming more resource-intensive, and its domestic supplies of key resources are declining or under pressure.

Resource	UK Status
Food	The UK imports about 46% of its food; domestic production is declining in some sectors
Water	The south-east has a water deficit; the north and west have a surplus
Energy	The UK's North Sea oil and gas reserves are declining; the energy mix is shifting toward renewables

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Food in the UK

The UK's Changing Food Demands

The UK's food consumption has changed dramatically over the past 50 years: