78. The crisis facing UK retail and food businesses | Sarah Bradbury

Why are millions of jobs going unfilled in one of the UK’s biggest industries, while so many young people are struggling to find work? In this episode of all about business, James Reed speaks with Sarah Bradbury, CEO of the Institute of Grocery Distribution, about the future of the UK food industry, the growing challenge of attracting young talent, and why the sector may offer far more opportunities than people realise. Sarah shares insights from her 25-year career across major retailers, before stepping into one of the most influential leadership roles in the UK food sector. She explains how IGD works across the entire food system and how they help competitors collaborate on the biggest long-term challenges facing the industry. They explore the pressures reshaping food and retail, including changing consumer habits, climate change, AI, automation, workforce shortages, and the potential impact of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, on the future of food consumption. Together they also discuss leadership, collaboration between rival businesses, and why the UK food industry remains one of the country’s most important, and underestimated, economic forces. Timestamps 02:00 What IGD does 08:43 Retail tech and AI trends 12:27 UK food system challenges 18:36 Land use and solar farms 23:47 Hidden food careers 31:29 Youth unemployment urgency 43:27 Closing reflections and CEO Forum Follow James Reed on LinkedIn Follow Sarah Bradbury on LinkedIn Find out more about IGD and their impact HERE All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more HERE This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk