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Draft scheme criteria

photograph of vegetables cooking

This page describes the criteria which will be tested during the pre-consultation pilot project. This includes proposed criteria which the project team believe are central to the Mark achieving its objectives, and other potential criteria which may make constructive additions although the evidence of outcome added value is less complete. All the criteria are still open to refinement, debate and consultation and the form of the Mark for testing in Phase 2 of the pre-consultation pilot will be determined by the information gathered on the proposed and potential criteria in Phase 1.

Why three levels of award?

The current thinking is that:

  • Bronze is the entry level for the Healthier Food Mark and it is envisaged that this level will be achievable by most public sector organisations;
  • Silver is something for more progressive organisations to aim for if they meet higher levels of nutrient provision, catering practice and sustainability; and
  • Gold is for organisations aspiring to meet high nutritional provision and sustainability criteria.

The proposed Healthier Food Mark in brief

The summary below gives a high level overview of the proposed Healthier Food Mark. The proposed list contains the criteria which the project team believe are central to the Mark achieving its objectives and the evidence supporting outcome added value is strong. These criteria will be tested during the pre-consultation pilot by a cross-section of public sector organisations and further discussed during the full consultation in 2010.

BRONZE

To achieve the Bronze Healthier Food Mark an organisation will need to take steps to:

  • Improve nutrient intake to help reduce diet related diseases by:
    - buying food lower in salt, fat and sugars;
    - promoting consumption of fruit, vegetables, fish and water;
  • Deliver a more sustainable food service by:
    - having a sustainability policy in place;
    - reducing greenhouse gas emissions by improving energy efficiency, reducing waste, encouraging the consumption of in-season food, avoiding bottled water;
    - buying seafood from sustainable sources;
    - buying meat and meat products that are produced in ways which promote high standards of animal health and welfare;
    - ensuring that all food businesses have the opportunity to access public sector contracts.

SILVER

To achieve the Silver Healthier Food Mark an organisation will need to:

  • Meet all the Bronze criteria;
  • Demonstrate progress in relation to: 
    - promoting consumption of fruit and vegetables;
    - increasing procurement of seafood from sustainable sources;
    - reducing waste;
  • In addition, focus on:
    - procuring healthier products in food categories that contribute most in relation to salt, saturated fat and sugars in the diet;
    - promoting higher fibre products;
    - reducing the size of snacks;
    - providing information to consumers through calorie and allergen labelling on menus;
    - encouraging procurement of food that is produced in a way that benefits the environment, helps maintain biodiversity, and helps deliver social benefits in developing countries.

GOLD

To achieve the Gold Healthier Food Mark an organisation will need to:

  • Meet all the Bronze and Silver criteria;
  • Meet more demanding levels of compliance in relation to:
    - procurement of seafood from sustainably managed sources;
    - procurement of food that is produced in a way that benefits the environment, helps maintain biodiversity, and helps deliver social benefits in developing countries;
  • In addition:
    - build on Silver by moving from a focus on improving nutrient intake through particular food categories, to nutrient analysis of the whole menu to meet Government dietary recommendations;
    - take further steps to deliver a more sustainable food service by implementing measures to improve water efficiency, in addition to further measures related to energy efficiency and waste reduction.

Other potential criteria

The Healthier Food Mark team has also been considering other criteria related to: raising awareness; improving catering practices; encouraging higher production standards; enhancing animal welfare; and taking further measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The team believes that these criteria could make constructive additions to the proposed criteria but they have received a more mixed reaction in discussions with stakeholders during the initial development work and the evidence for outcome added value is less complete.

During Phase 1 of the pre-consultation pilot, the project team will seek the views of a cross-section of public sector organisations on the costs, benefits, practicalities and feasibility of implementing these criteria if they were to be included. This information will supplement the existing evidence base and enable the team to select the form of the Mark for piloting in Phase 2 of the pre-consultation pilot.

Further detail

A pdf document outlining the high level summary and full lists of proposed and potential criteria can be found here:

Medically related dietary needs

It is important to note that the Healthier Food Mark does not apply to those with medically related dietary needs whose needs must be addressed in addition or separately.

What do you think?

Contact us

You can send comments, opinions or ideas relating to the proposed and potential criteria, or other aspects of the Healthier Food Mark scheme, to the team here:

Take part in the consultation

There will also be a full consultation in 2010 following the pilots. If you register your interest in the scheme we will inform you of the consultation dates when they are finalised and invite you to take part.

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