What specific action did Sainsbury's CEO Simon Roberts urge the UK government to take regarding energy costs in the food sector?

Simon Roberts, CEO of Sainsbury's, urged the UK government to intervene to prevent energy costs for the entire food sector — including farmers, growers, producers, manufacturers, and retailers — from rising further, stating that 'the single biggest thing the government could do to help support keeping food prices down is to make sure that energy costs of the industry are not rising faster.'

Why does Sainsbury's argue that government support for the food sector's energy costs is urgently needed now?

Sainsbury's argues urgent government support is needed because high energy costs — driven by the Iran war and subsequent U.S.-Israeli attacks beginning at the end of February — are exacerbating grocery inflation, with UK food inflation already at 3.7% in March and trade body warnings of nearly 10% price rises by December; Roberts emphasized that 'now is the time for government to really look at what they can do' across farming, manufacturing, processing, and retailing to mitigate this impact.

Sainsbury's Calls for UK Government Help on Food Sector Energy Costs

Apr 23, 2026

Sainsbury's CEO urges the UK government to support the food sector against soaring energy costs driven by geopolitical tensions, aiming to control grocery inflation. He highlights that farmers, manufacturers, and retailers require assistance similar to other energy-intensive industries.

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