The Joint Research Centre (JRC) has developed criteria sustainable public procurement (SPP) for food, catering and vending machines. These criteria, which are available procurers across Europe, to help schools, hospitals and other public institutions serve food that nourishes people and the planet, thereby contributing to a more sustainable food system.

Objectives and forms of criteria

The aim of these criteria is to achieve highest environmental and social benefits, while also focusing on improving the health of the population. Procuring entities are free to choose how to implement the criteria, whether mandatory or voluntary, with gradual integration being encouraged, which can complement existing national frameworks and take into account cultural elements, seasonality and food quality.

The criteria can be applied in the form of:

• Technical Specifications (TS): Minimum requirements that apply to the offer.
• Award criteria (AC): Additional points awarded for bids that exceed minimum thresholds.
• Contract Performance Clause (CPC): They specify how the contract is to be performed.

Nutritional and Dietary Guidelines

The key objective is to support dietary shift, which includes increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. At the same time, reducing intake of salt, free sugars, saturated fats, alcohol and red and processed meat is required.

Nutritional criteria include:

• Monitoring salt and free sugar content in menus to ensure compliance with age-specific health recommendations.
• Limitation saturated fats and support monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats for a balanced fat intake.
• Bidding whole grain products instead of refined ones.
• Limitation red and processed meat in line with national dietary guidelines.
• Security adequate intake of milk and dairy products, as well as appropriate types of fishery and aquaculture products.

Educational or clinical facilities should not serve alcoholic beverages.

Environmental and social sustainability

The Food Criteria work in synergy with the horizontal criteria. They aim to support sustainable agricultural practices and purchasing products from organic farming, which conserve resources and support the protection of biodiversity. The criteria also ensure that options are available when purchasing animal products that promote animal welfare.

It is also important social responsibility, including ensuring that food production complies with international labor standards and provides fair wages.

In the context of management, the criteria require food waste quantification and applying the Target-Measure-Act approach to apply effective interventions.

Criteria for Services and Machines

The criteria for catering services include requirements for staff training on sustainability topics such as plant-based cooking and reducing food waste. It is also recommended to use life cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify the environmental impact of food services. The criteria also support the design of dining environments that facilitate and make sustainable choices attractive.

For vending machines The criteria are designed to address the high fat, sugar or salt content of products, as well as the significant environmental impact of packaging and machine operation. These include limiting products based on salt and sugar content, using criteria for energy consumption, and supporting unflavored pure water. Stricter criteria apply to machines located in facilities with children.

For more detailed information, a complete report JRC and accompanying fact sheets. JRi