New consultation: Public procurement leading by example (closing 4 September 2022)
Government is adopting an ambitious and transformational approach to public sector food and catering. They say they are determined to use public sector purchasing power to ensure positive change in the food system. Their vision (as set out in the Government Food Strategy) is that public sector food and catering is an exemplar to wider society in delivering positive health, animal welfare, environmental and socio-economic impacts. They are consulting on a set of proposed changes to public sector food and catering policy, including the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF), to deliver this vision.
Remember if you are looking at new opportunities, including through public sector procurement, the Growth Hub can help you gain accreditations such as SALSA, address challenges such as demonstrating social value and improve your bidding.
Courtauld 2030: Helping your business move to net zero
Courtauld 2030 is the UK’s leading mechanism to enable businesses of all sizes to target, measure and act on some of the biggest sustainability challenges in the food and drink sector. Funded by Defra and managed by WRAP, Courtauld has been a force for sustainable change in the industry since 2005, collaborating closely with the sector to halve food waste, improve water stewardship and reduce GHG emissions. If you would like to find out more, including on how to join, please see here.
Impact of war on Ukraine on food chain supply: information resource
The Food Authenticity Network has created a new information resource base to signpost stakeholders to information related to potential or actual disruption to the food and drink supply chain resulting from the current conflict in Ukraine.
New Centre for Excellence in Agriculture and Food Integrity launched
The Centre for Excellence in Agriculture and Food Integrity will develop innovative scientific-measurement solutions and digital technologies to help make supply chains more sustainable, reliable, safe, and productive. The Centre will also educate and train current and future industry leaders across the UK with the specialist knowledge and skills needed for a fast-changing and competitive agri-food industry.
Choice on units of measurement: markings and sales
The government is committed to reviewing the current law to identify how more choice can be given to businesses and consumers over the units of measurement they use for trade, while ensuring that measurement information remains accurate. The evidence gathered from this consultation will inform the government’s plans to provide a choice on weights and measures for consumer transactions.
They want to hear from a broad range of stakeholders that interact with all consumer transactions based on units of measurements – including businesses, trade associations, enforcement authorities, consumers, and consumer organisations.
To have your say click here
It’s really important that you respond to this consultation which has a potentially significant negative impact on businesses and on education at what is already a very challenging time. As well as responding online please email suzanne@cumbriachamber.co.uk as she has been asked to feed in directly to Defra alongside the formal consultation.
BEIS Industrial Energy Efficiency Technology Showcase 14 July
BEIS are hosting a unique opportunity to interact with forward-thinking industrial companies, innovators and technology suppliers. This will help you understand the pressing challenges industry faces to decarbonise and discover opportunities to partner up and apply for support from the Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator and Industrial Energy Transformation Fund programmes. The showcase will take place on 14 July from 10:00 till 16:00 in Birmingham.
Vegetable oil substitution for sunflower oil
The Food Standards Authority (FSA) has published information to help industry make informed choices about substitution of sunflower oil with other oils both now (under temporary arrangements to address the shock to the supply chain shock arising from the conflict in Ukraine) and going forward (as part of the return to full compliance). It is available at: Vegetable oil substitution for sunflower oil: Information for industry and other interested stakeholders | Food Standards Agency and provides a summary of the FSA/FSS rapid allergen risk assessments on various vegetable oils; information on the key nutritional differences between sunflower oil and the other oils; material on the sustainability of various vegetable oils and information on consumer perceptions on alternative oils proposed by industry as substitutes for sunflower oil from FSA social research in May 2022.
New consultation: Improved food waste reporting by large food businesses in England (closing 5 September 2022)
As set out in the Government Food Strategy, the UK is fully committed to meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goal to halve global food waste by 2030. The government is therefore consulting on improved food waste reporting for large food businesses.
Crown Commercial Service New Food and Drink Agreement
The aim of this agreement is to help public sector buyers access local and seasonal food from local SME food suppliers. This agreement will also:
- support sustainability by meeting the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering (GBSF)
- invest in local communities and improve equality and diversity
- reduce modern slavery risks
Click here to find out more.