Enhancing public sector food procurement

Put simply, this is a focus on food that is bought by public institutions using public money; think schools, hospitals and council run care homes.

Sustain and its alliance of food sector organisations have been campaigning for public institutions to invest the public’s money in food for public good. The potential for better health and environmental outcomes is huge given that £2.4 billion is spent purchasing food and catering services by public institutions every year.

And we know it can work! Take Denmark where the ‘Organic Action Plan’ with a target of 60% organic fruit and veg in public kitchens since 2020, has brought about change. They have funded farmers to transition to organic horticulture and provided support for kitchen staff.

Our work is to show why it is important to bridge the price gap between conventionally produced fruit and veg, for example organic, and quantify the benefits this brings. A recent pilot in this space calculated that the cost of purchasing organic courgettes over conventional was 56% higher. If we are to meet our health, social and environmental commitments, we need to make the case.

Bridging the Gap is working on three school food pilots in Wales, Scotland (Aberdeenshire) and London (Hackney).

Pilots

• Food Sense Wales’ Welsh Veg in Schools
• Food Sense Wales’ Courgette Pilot

Updates

• Watch back: Public sector food and catering: how food partnerships can influence and engage