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Research highlights how councils can help tackle climate change through food policies

A new study has found that only a small number of councils in England have adopted policies to make food advertising and food purchasing more environmentally sustainable, despite most having declared a climate emergency.

Food and drink production contributes more than one-third of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.

Local authorities can help to reduce this by making more climate-friendly decisions about which foods are bought and served at council-run sites such as schools and leisure centres.

They can also influence food advertising on sites that they run or own, restricting the promotion of foods that have higher environmental impacts.

Researchers from the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria and Oxford University looked at how councils in England may or may not be using these powers to support more climate-friendly diets.

The study, published in PLOS Climate, is the first to map climate-friendly food advertising and procurement policies across English local government.

Searching for planet-friendly policies

Researchers reviewed publicly available documents from all 317 local authorities in England to identify policies relating to food advertising and food procurement that included climate or environmental goals. As well as approved policies, they also reviewed policy proposals and motions to develop an understanding of what types of policies were being considered by councils, even if not yet adopted.

The study found just five councils with climate-friendly food advertising policies and 23 with climate-friendly food procurement policies.

Among the policies identified, the most common actions were:

• buying food from local suppliers
• increasing the availability of plant-based food at council meetings and events
• requiring suppliers to meet recognised standards or accreditations for products such as meat, dairy and fish.

However, the researchers found that very few policies specifically restricted the advertising or purchasing of meat and dairy products, despite these foods having some of the highest environmental impacts.

The review also found that most policies were voluntary rather than mandatory. Of 167 food procurement actions identified, only 19 were described as compulsory. Most used terms such as ‘where possible’ or ‘aim to’.

In addition, many policies provided limited information about how they would be implemented or monitored.

Missed opportunities

More than 270 councils in England have declared a climate emergency, but the study suggests that relatively few have translated these commitments into specific food advertising or procurement policies.

The researchers found considerable variation between councils in both the content and strength of policies. While some authorities had developed clear climate-related actions, many had not yet introduced policies in this area.

One of the most ambitious proposals identified was a motion put forward by North Devon Council that would have restricted advertising of meat and dairy products for climate reasons. However, the motion was not passed following a council vote.

Dr Mackenzie Fong from the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North East and North Cumbria, led the study. She said:

“Our findings highlight a missed opportunity for councils to use their significant influence over food purchasing and advertising to support their climate goals.

“Clearer expectations and national guidance from government could help local authorities to develop stronger and more consistent policies, reduce the need for individual councils to create policies from scratch, and support more consistent implementation across England.”

Find out more 

Read a plain language summary of this research: How can councils use advertising rules and food-buying policies to help fight climate change? – ARC

Read an Expert Opinion blog from Oxford University about this work: Expert Comment: Climate-friendly food procurement and advertising: what are local authorities in England doing? | Oxford University

Read the full research paper: Climate-friendly food advertising and procurement in English local authorities: A systematic scoping review of policy ambition | PLOS Climate