The Revaluing Public Food Procurement CoP of the Foodlinks project has published a new and innovative report: “Revaluing Public Sector Food Procurement in Europe: An Action Plan for Sustainability”. This is the outcome of a unique collaboration between policy-makers, practitioners and scientists working together during the FOODLINKS project.

A selection of inspiring best practice – case studies from Malmö (Sweden), Rome (Italy), East Ayrshire (Scotland), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Vienna (Austria) – is presented, with the aim of providing an overview of what change is happening across Europe.

The case studies demonstrate that revaluing public procurement is possible and takes different forms depending on the conditions and context of each European city. Although problems come up, creative and imaginative ways are found to resolve them.

The case studies provide evidence that public procurement is one of the most powerful tools urban governments have at their disposal to fashion sustainable food systems that prioritise quality foods.

Our joint work on the report reflects not only the reality of devising and implementing innovative approaches to public sector food procurement throughout Europe, but also offers an Action Plan to help and encourage urban governments to take up the challenge of more sustainable purchasing practices.

The Full Report and the Executive Summary are being widely disseminated to urban governments and others with an interest in revaluing public sector food procurement and provide new evidence and useful tools as they consider how to make public sector food more sustainable in their own procurement policy-making and practice.

Contact Julie Smith (City University London) for more information.