Public food procurement as a tool for building food system resilience in the UK

Summary

This Nature Food paper explores public food procurement as a policy lever for building food system resilience in the United Kingdom. The authors likely argue that institutional purchasing power—through schools, hospitals, and other public services—can be harnessed to diversify supply chains, support local and regional producers, and strengthen overall food system robustness. The work appears to position procurement policy as a complementary tool within broader resilience-building strategies.

UK applicability

Directly applicable to the UK policy context, where public procurement represents a substantial market opportunity. The findings may inform Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) policy, NHS procurement guidelines, and local authority food strategies, particularly post-Brexit and in the context of ongoing food security concerns.

Key measures

As suggested by the title, metrics may include procurement criteria adoption, supplier diversity, local sourcing rates, supply chain vulnerability assessments, and institutional food security indicators—though specific measures cannot be confirmed without the abstract.

Outcomes reported

The study likely examines how public food procurement policies (e.g. in schools, hospitals, public institutions) can be leveraged to strengthen food system resilience. Outcomes probably include assessment of procurement mechanisms, their effects on supply chain robustness, and potential barriers or enablers to implementation.

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