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<p>In early 2022, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will lead
on a consultation on proposed changes to public sector food procurement policy, including
the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF). The consultation
will seek views on promoting local, sustainable, healthier food in the public sector,
opening public sector procurement to a wider range of businesses and increasing the
transparency of food supply chains. Specific dates for the recommendations of this
consultation and their implementation will be announced in due course.</p><p>On 15
July 2021, the nutrition standards in the GBSF were updated to reflect the latest
scientific nutritional evidence. On 18 August 2021, the Government Buying Standards
for food and catering services: nutrition standards: Technical guidance was published
to provide catering establishments with practical advice to implement the GBSF standards.
A copy of the guidance is attached. We recognise that catering establishments will
need to plan menus to include products that meet the revised guidelines. There will
be an implementation period of 12 months to ensure compliance, with an extension of
three years for the Reducing Salt standard and the sandwich component of the Reducing
Saturated Fat Standard.</p>
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