Supporting plant-rich diets in the food strategy

Sustain members The Vegan Society and Foodrise are calling for more organisations to add their signature to Reaping the benefits of Plant-Rich Diets: the Ten Point Plan, a joint policy endorsed by 48 organisations, from food, environmental, health and animal protection NGOs and the private sector. 

Signatories so far include The Food Foundation, Doctors Association UK, the British Growers Association, Oatly and Compassion in World Farming.

The Ten Point Plan contains proposals for pragmatic, politically achievable measures to increase supply of and demand for healthy plant-based foods, enhancing health, food security and protecting the interests of food producers. Focussing the consensus that plant-rich diets can make a critical contribution to health and sustainability goals, the measures it proposes are drawn from many existing papers and policy documents. They are intended to be inclusive, with an emphasis on positive support for plant-based foods.

Action to promote the transition towards more plant-rich diets is, of course, already included in the wide -ranging proposals submitted by the Alliance of Alliances. Despite the wide consensus on this issue, however, the ministers now responsible for the food strategy have as yet shown no signs of engagement with it or referenced the advantages it brings. The Government has also shown consistent resistance to dietary transition in its responses to Climate Change Committee recommendations. With the action plan for the Good Food Cycle due within months, we believe that this aspect of the wide-ranging strategy requires additional impetus that complements the work of the Alliance of Alliances.

As we progress to the next stage of lobbying on the Food Strategy, we are therefore seeking further endorsements for the Ten Point Plan from organisations working across health and sustainability, as well as businesses and trade associations. A broad coalition of support was key to persuading the Danish Government to introduce its groundbreaking Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods – a similar effort in the UK offers the best chance of persuading the government to act on the evidence.

If you would like to endorse the plan, please contact Sunita Ramani at Foodrise sunita@foodrise.org.uk The deadline for signatures is Friday 20 February.