More than 100 leaders from across the UK's food industry have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham calling for a Good Food Bill that would place food security, public health and food system resilience on a long-term statutory footing.

The open letter, coordinated by The Food Foundation, Green Alliance and Sustain, has been signed by some of the UK's biggest food retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, investors and farming organisations, including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Aldi, Waitrose, Co-op, Booths, Danone, Greencore, Samworth Brothers and Bidfood. Together, the six retail signatories account for more than 64% of the UK's grocery market share.

In the letter, the signatories argue that the UK's food system is facing "three overlapping challenges": an increasingly fragile food supply exposed to environmental and geopolitical shocks, food prices rising faster than household incomes, and worsening levels of diet-related ill health. They warn that "the next food shock is not a question of if, but when."

The letter highlights a number of pressures facing the sector, noting that British production of fruit and vegetables has fallen by 16% since 2015, while the UK now imports 78% of its fruit and vegetable supply. It also points to rising production costs, with fertiliser prices increasing by 40% over the past year, alongside continued concerns over climate change, biodiversity loss and food affordability.

Addressing the Prime Minister, the group writes: "A Good Food Bill would put food where it belongs: at the heart of national strategy. It would give successive governments clear responsibility to improve the food system over the long term to create healthier communities, thriving local economies and lower levels of food insecurity."

Inspired by the Climate Change Act 2008, the proposed legislation would:

• Set legally binding targets to reduce childhood obesity, increase fruit and vegetable consumption, increase the proportion of produce grown in Britain and reduce household food insecurity.

• Require the Government to publish a Reference Diet to align food policy across departments.

• Place a duty on ministers to consider food in decisions covering health, education, farming, planning, the environment and trade.

• Introduce five-year Good Food Action Plans outlining how targets will be achieved.

• Give local leaders greater responsibility to consider food within local decision making.

• Establish independent oversight with annual public reporting on progress.

The signatories argue that the Bill would provide greater certainty for businesses and investors by establishing a clear long-term policy framework. They cite research suggesting that expanding UK horticulture and increasing domestic fruit and vegetable production could add £2.3 billion to the UK economy, while helping create a more resilient food supply chain.

The letter concludes by urging the Government to bring forward the legislation "as early as possible", stating that while Labour's 2024 election manifesto recognised that "food security is national security", a Good Food Bill would turn that commitment into law.