100+ organisations call for Government to be bold in upcoming Food Strategy White Paper

Today more than 100 organisations have joined forces to sign a joint statement to the UK Government ahead of the publication of the Government's response to the National Food Strategy. Signatories include businesses - Tesco, Sainsburys, Greggs, Co-op, Aldi, and M&S amongst others - civil society organisations, academics, local authorities and farmers. The statement was featured in The Observer.

The signatories of today's joint statement say that it is only by introducing ambitious new legislation and taking a cross-Government approach that the Government can lead the food system reform necessary to achieve its net zero and nature positive commitments, tackle obesity and reduce inequalities.

The Food Foundation have added our name to the statement. Over the past months, we have been calling for the Government to commit to a new Food Bill as a flagship part of its upcoming Food Strategy White Paper.  We believe that if the Government does not commit to a Food Bill, this will be a marker that they are not serious about establishing the conditions that will support genuine, long-term food system transformation.

Food system change is a long-term project. Success will depend on a clear long-term vision, robust targets, measurement and oversight - all this could be created via a new Food Bill.