The Food Standards Agency is backing a government scheme to encourage public sector organisations to buy and serve healthier, more sustainable food.
The voluntary scheme, which has the working title Healthier Food Mark, has been set up by the Department of Health, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Food Standards Agency.
The cross-government group will work with the food industry, public sector organisations and other stakeholders to get the scheme up and running.
The Healthier Food Mark will have three tiers (bronze, silver and gold) and will focus on areas that have the highest impact on nutrition and sustainability.
The majority of public sector organisations are expected to achieve the bronze level, progressive organisations will aim for silver and public sector organisations aspiring to meet high nutritional provision and sustainability criteria will strive for gold.
The scheme is being tested as a pre-consultation pilot in 2009-10. A full consultation will follow in 2010 with the aim of rolling out the initiative in 2011.
