New research shows councils are acting on climate-friendly food, but national standards are needed

New research, published in PLOS Climate and co-authored by Sustain’s Fran Bernhardt and Ruth Westcott, alongside researchers at Newcastle and Oxford Universities, systematically reviewed the publicly available policy documents of 317 English local authorities. The research was funded by Wellcome as part of the Sustainable and Healthy Interventions for Food Transitions (SHIFT) project led by the University of Oxford.

It found ambition for implementing policies that go significantly further than the national government, including serving more plant-based foods, sourcing locally and using accredited sustainable produce. Some councils are restricting the advertising of certain foods as part of climate reduction ambitions. However, the research reveals significant gaps and the authors are calling on the national government to provide clear universal standards, support and leadership.

The Climate Change Committee estimates that local authorities have powers or influence over roughly a third of UK emissions. With many local councils able to determine the food served in schools and other services, as well as agricultural planning, advertising, waste management and public messaging, local governments are an important lever for a transition to sustainable and healthy food.

Twenty-three local authorities were found to have published climate-focused food procurement policies. Local sourcing was the most common action (20 councils), while the highest-impact actions (serving more plant-based foods and less meat and dairy) were rarer and mostly confined to council events rather than higher volume settings like school dinners. Many of the policies found include increasing plant-based options on menus and serving more local and sustainable produce, and councils report that policies have been developed through consultation with parents, teachers and communities.

Five councils were found to have published documents for restricting advertising of certain foods, with climate change part of the rationale for doing so. Two of the five proposed restricting adverts for high-carbon products such as meat and dairy on council-controlled sites, while the other three were health-focused policies restricting unhealthy food advertising while recognising the co-benefits to climate. For example, the climate benefits of breastfeeding if formula milk advertising is restricted.

Overall, less than ten percent of local councils were found to have a publicly available policy for either procurement or advertising, despite three quarters of councils having declared a climate emergency. The research made recommendations to address this gap between potential and action:

1. A national model to restrict advertising for the most climate-damaging foods. A growing number of councils have adopted policies to restrict food and drink advertising on health grounds, using the UK’s Nutrient Profiling Model. The paper calls for a government-backed tool to robustly combine both health and environmental factors.
2. Universal standards for public sector food. The Government has yet to deliver on a promised overhaul of public sector food standards, to ensure public money is spent on food which helps create a healthier and more sustainable society. These would address the patchy adoption of food buying standards. 

The authors also note that many local authorities are introducing policies to support healthier food. However, the emphasis on nutrition within food policy, to the exclusion of wider health and environmental factors, limits the opportunity for local governments to take action on these issues.

The research analysed only policies that are publicly available, and notes that the lack of a published policy does not necessarily signify inaction. Published policies were selected for review on the basis that they allow for transparency, accountability, and enable other councils to follow suit.   

Ruth Westcott, co-author and Sustain’s Climate and Nature Emergency Campaign Manager, said:

This research shows a real appetite among councils to use their power to reduce the climate impacts of our diets, and it is impressive that many are sharing them publicly. What we need now is national leadership. We need the Burnham government to step up and set mandatory minimum standards for all public sector catering so that every citizen, in every area, benefits from councils taking the steps available to them to make sustainable and healthy food more accessible.

Fran Bernhardt, co-author and Sustain’s Commercial Determinants Coordinator, said:

As climate change induced extreme weather and food shortages become more common, there is no doubt that climate change poses a significant threat to our health and that the most vulnerable among us are most at risk. If the national government truly prioritises health and equity, they must widen the scope of health focussed food policies beyond nutrition to equally prioritise climate change. So that healthier and sustainable food is the easiest option for everyone no matter where they live.

Notes
The paper, "Climate-friendly food advertising and procurement in English local authorities: a systematic scoping review of policy ambition", is published in PLOS Climate on 5th August 2026. It was co-authored by Letitia Sermin-Reed, Dr Mackenzie Fong, Dr Hannah Forde, Dr Jessica Renzella, Ruth Westcott, Fran Bernhardt, Dr Sophia Brady, Professor Mike Rayner and Dr Prachi Bhatnagar