Over 160 organisations demand ambitious Food Strategy backed by law

The Food Strategy Alliances, which is a new grouping of five existing alliances - has published an open letter to Emma Reynolds MP, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The message from the letter is clear: the UK Government must seize this critical opportunity to develop a transformative and successful UK Food Strategy. 

Collectively, the Food Strategy Alliances are comprised of five major alliances - Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming, Eating Better, the Obesity Health Alliance, Wildlife and Countryside Link, and the Plant-based Food Alliance. Together, we represent over 160 civil society and business organisations spanning health, animal welfare, conservation, food production, farming, and social justice sectors. 

Our unified voice is driven by the conviction that a whole food systems approach to policy-making is vital across all sectors. We recognise that poor diets are currently holding back economic growth and welcome the Government’s commitment to this cross-cutting policy agenda. Our demands align with the overarching aim of providing a resilient supply of healthy and sustainable food, matching the vision set out in the UK Government’s Good Food Cycle. 

To achieve this long-term vision, we are clear that primary legislation is necessary, providing a framework for accountable action. That is why we are urging the Government to introduce a Food Bill that will establish the food system impact targets and long-term levers needed to support genuine improvement across the food system. 

Our letter outlines three core requirements that the UK Government must address: 

1. Create a joined-up healthy food and sustainable farming plan – backed by legislation. This requires ensuring policy coherence and joined-up government across all food-related strategies. 

2. Put nature and climate friendly farming and growing at the core of the Food Strategy. This involves strengthening the sustainable farming budget, reversing funding cuts to DEFRA, and providing a clear roadmap for the Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs) to enable a transition towards farming systems that embed demonstrably higher animal welfare. We also call for investment in the UK’s food system infrastructure to support local, values-led food systems and shorter supply chains. 

3. Make healthy and sustainable diets the norm for all in the UK. Key actions here include reforming public sector food to establish legally-binding minimum standards for healthy, sustainable, and locally sourced meals across the entire public sector, including nurseries and schools. Furthermore, we call for the implementation of the ‘Healthy Food Standard’ via mandatory sales reporting and subsequent improvement targets for large food businesses. Crucially, the government must protect all children and babies from unhealthy food and drink advertising by ending all forms of less healthy advertising by the end of this Parliament. 

The public is keenly aware of the need for change, with strong support for these approaches; for instance, 78% of the public backs healthier food in schools and hospitals. This strong public mandate, combined with the Government's welcome commitment to this cross-cutting policy agenda, gives us a key opportunity to push for necessary improvements in the food and farming system. 

Our letter is also asking for a meeting with the Secretary of State to discuss these essential asks in more detail ahead of the anticipated Food Strategy action plan in Spring 2026. 

The full text of the letter is viewable here. 

The detailed asks from the Food Strategy Alliances is viewable here.