Goverment food policy lambasted as confusing and poorly enforced

A study by the Sustainable Development Commission has found that Government policies and guidance on sustainable food are conflicting and poorly enforced, and hinder the development of a sustainable food system in the UK.

The study, called ‘Green, Healthy and Fair’, reports that a total of 19 Government departments are responsible for implementing almost 100 different policies that deal with food and supermarkets. It recommends that Government ministers work together with supermarkets to set clear goals and guidelines.

Tim Lang, a co-author of the report, said: “What came out of this process was something I didn’t expect - a remarkable demand from industry and others that Government would be clear in setting what it thinks a sustainable system should be.

“Supermarkets are saying ‘we would like some guidance’.”

The study recommends that Defra should implement an ambitious packaging strategy. Current legislation on packaging is vague and is rarely enforced, which means that supermarkets get away with over packaging products, passing waste burden onto consumers and local government.

A further recommendation is that the Government works with the food industry to set clear targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions right across the food chain. The report was particularly critical of current policy that ignores transportation issues.

Finally, the report suggests that ministers resolve the current conflict between health advice and sustainability. As an example, the report examines how the Government’s current advice of eating more fish is causing a depletion in fish stocks.

A Government review of food policy will start this spring.