Countryside Alliance finds public sector is overlooking British produce
Freedom of Information (FOI) requests were submitted to 19 central government departments, 215 local authorities and the British Armed Forces. The aim was to uncover how much food served in the public sector is British or locally sourced — and whether organisations are monitoring this at all.
The results show significant gaps. Only one department the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) had a formal policy supporting British food procurement. It stated that its catering subcontractors are certified under the Food for Life scheme, under which 75% of food is freshly prepared in their kitchens and 80% is sourced from the UK.
The Department for Health and Social Care was the only other department able to say what proportion of its food is UK-sourced. It stated that in the financial year of 2023-24, 72% of the food procured for the department by its catering supplier had been produced in the UK. The Wales Office said it encourages external caterers to buy British where possible.
At local authority level, just 26 councils (12%) could provide data on the proportion of UK-produced food they procure. Seventy councils said they had no relevant policy and 42 did not provide a usable response. Scotland and Wales stood out for stronger engagement, with high participation in the Soil Association’s Food for Life scheme and more robust procurement frameworks.
These findings present a challenge for the Labour Government, which has committed to ensuring that 50% of food bought by the public sector is locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards. Without consistent monitoring and policy adoption across all levels of Government, progress will be hard to measure.
The Countryside Alliance warns that during a time of growing pressure on British farmers and food producers, the public sector must show leadership with transparent, traceable procurement practices that truly support domestic agriculture.