FOOD & CATERING Global public procurement factsheet
This factsheet explores the challenges and opportunities facing public food services in the context of global climate emergency. It summarises the innovative actions GLCN cities have taken to address those issues locally through public procurement.
As major procurers of food and catering services, public authorities can play a strong role in supporting sustainable production and distribution practices in the sector. In the European Union alone, the social food services market is worth an estimated €82 billion per annum (GIRA Foodservice 2014, as quoted here), a large share of which originates from public spending. By carefully integrating the impact of the food they purchase into procurement decisions, public authorities can significantly contribute to supporting environmental improvements in the sector whilst providing a nutritious diet to beneficiaries and supporting targeted producers. Focusing on climate-related considerations, there are three key areas in which public procurers can support more sustainable food systems and catering practices:
1. Climate friendly and nutritious food supply;
2. food supply that is resilient to climate emergency;
3. sustainable catering practices.
