Food strategy for England likely to be watered down
The government is expected to water down its upcoming food strategy for England, ignoring the ambitious recommendations proposed in two government-commissioned reports, campaigners say.
The white paper, due later this month, was supposed to be a groundbreaking plan to tackle the nature and climate emergencies in response to eye-catching recommendations urged by restaurateur Henry Dimbleby in his reports.
Campaigners also expected it might tackle the obesity crisis, by making healthy food more accessible, including expanding free school meals.
There were hopes that there would be a food bill introduced, bringing measures such as the reporting of nutritional content in food served in schools and hospitals into law. Experts consulted on the strategy pushed for a reduction in intensive animal agriculture and mandatory reporting for retailers on how much animal protein, compared with plant protein, they sell.
This, they said, has become even more crucial considering the cost of living crisis, and the war in Ukraine putting pressure on international food supply chains.
However, those who have been working with the government on the strategy say that none of this is happening, and any points critical of the government such as its record on poverty will be removed. There will also be no food bill, so none of the recommendations will be enshrined in law.
Even measures on child obesity already announced, such as the junk food advertising ban, are likely to be watered down, delayed or removed altogether after pressure from a small group of rightwing backbenchers, those familiar with the report said.
The independent National Food Strategy, drawn up by Dimbleby, was commissioned in 2019 by the then environment secretary, Michael Gove, and
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