National Good Food Nation Plan

Part Two: Ambitious Outcomes for a Good Food Nation

Developing the Good Food Nation Outcomes

Scotland’s food system is a source of incredible success: the Scottish food and drink sector generates turnover of around £15 billion per annum, and exports were valued at £8.1 billion in 2022. This success will continue to contribute positively to the wellbeing of the food and drink workforce, while also making it easier for the population to access healthy food options. We want to ensure that Scotland has a global reputation for our high-quality food and drink, and reverse associations with an unhealthy diet.

There is a great deal to celebrate in our existing food and drink landscape here in Scotland. Our wonderful high-quality products are enjoyed here at home and across the world. We have excellent standards of animal welfare and strive to improve them further. We have taken steps to improve the nutritional quality of school meals, and to improve access to local and seasonal food for all.

However, we do recognise that there remains room for improvement. That is why we have developed six overarching Outcomes which indicate key areas of focus that enable us to further develop our status as a Good Food Nation. The scope of these Outcomes highlights the wide breadth of work that must be considered when making new food-related policy. If we are to achieve our Good Food Nation ambitions, then we must measure our actions against these Outcomes, and ensure decisions and actions are in alignment with them.

Human dignity acts as a fundamental value for all human rights, including the right to food, and therefore must underpin our approach to food policy in Scotland. Human dignity, as a principle, can act as a helpful lens through which to view the Good Food Nation Outcomes, aiding both its interpretation and overall implementation.

In an effort to ensure connections between policy areas can be made easily, when defining these Outcomes we have considered the food system as a whole. The Outcomes have been drafted with regard to provisions made in the Act,^[8] but more importantly they are a reflection of the key challenges and opportunities that exist within the Scottish food system.

In recent years we have seen relatively little change in the number of people who meet the Scottish Dietary Goals on fruit and vegetables; fibre; or free sugars. A key aim of our work to be a Good Food Nation has to be to shift the dial, so people are able to make healthier choices in what they eat.

Many households in Scotland experience food insecurity on a regular basis or are intermittently worried about being able to access food. Diet-related conditions^[9] are also more pervasive in communities experiencing deprivation. In pursuing our goal to achieve Good Food Nation ambitions it is essential that we do not do so at the expense of any community. When creating future food policy that aligns with the overarching Outcomes consideration of such inequalities needs to be at the forefront to avoid unintended consequences. Some of the actions we have taken in recent years are already moving us in the right direction, such as the roll out of free school meals to all pupils in primary 1 to 5.

Our Outcomes reflect that there is a continued need to adjust how food is produced, processed, distributed, and disposed of in Scotland to address the undeniable challenges of climate change and environmental degradation. This transition to a more sustainable food system also needs to be managed in a just and fair manner. This includes taking the people who work to put food on our tables along with us, and demonstrating our commitment to continuous improvement in animal welfare. We can do this while continuing to celebrate the range of producers we have across Scotland and supporting them in making this transition.

The Outcomes reflect these and more challenges and are necessarily broad in nature as they are designed to be applicable to policies from across a wide range of areas. The Outcomes serve as the high-level aspirations for a Good Food Nation: they are not a list of detailed instructions.

The Good Food Nation Outcomes

• Outcome 1: Everyone in Scotland eats well with reliable access to safe, nutritious, affordable, sustainable, and age and culturally appropriate food.
• Outcome 2: Scotland’s food system is sustainable^[10] and contributes to a flourishing natural environment. It supports our net zero ambitions, and plays an important role in maintaining and improving animal welfare and in restoring and regenerating biodiversity.
• Outcome 3: Scotland’s food system encourages a physically and mentally healthy population, leading to a reduction in diet-related conditions.
• Outcome 4: Our food and drink sector is prosperous, diverse, innovative, and vital to national and local economic and social wellbeing. It is key to making Scotland food secure and food resilient, and creates and sustains jobs and businesses underpinned by fair work standards.
• Outcome 5: Scotland has a thriving food culture with a population who are interested in and educated about good and sustainable food.
• Outcome 6: Scotland has a global reputation for high-quality food that we want to continue to grow. Decisions we make in Scotland contribute positively to local and global food systems transformation. We share and learn from best practice internationally.

The Scottish Government is committed to respecting, protecting, and fulfilling human rights: that includes the right to food. The Act requires Ministers to, in preparation of the national Good Food Nation Plan, have regard to specific parts of international human rights legislation^[11] - particularly regarding the right to food. Realising the right to food is about more than ensuring financial and physical access to food: it also requires action to address nutritional and cultural needs; food safety; and the overall sustainability and resilience of our food system.

Table 1 below illustrates how the six overarching Outcomes are linked to human rights instruments; the National Performance Framework; and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Scottish Government policies are developed within the context of the National Performance Framework (NPF)^[12] and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).^[13] The National Performance Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals share the same aims. The National Performance Framework is Scotland’s way to localise the Sustainable Development Goals and apply them in a way that is most relevant to Scotland.

Food policy development must also be considered in the context of the Scottish Dietary Goals. These describe, in nutritional terms, the diet that will improve and support the health of the Scottish population. Adherence to the Goals would increase the number of people who are a healthy weight and reduce the incidence of diet-related conditions. The Goals are used for monitoring and informing policies to improve Scotland’s diet.

These six overarching Outcomes form the core of our Good Food Nation: they set out what Scottish Ministers aim to achieve in relation to food. The requirement for relevant authorities to have regard to the content of this national Plan means that food policy will be joined up across national and local levels. Meanwhile, the requirement for relevant authorities to produce their own Plans means they will retain the flexibility to focus on how best to achieve the Outcomes within their own areas of responsibility.

Table 1: How Good Food Nation Outcomes Link to the National Performance Framework, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Right to Food

Good Food Nation Outcome

Outcome 1

Everyone in Scotland eats well with reliable access to safe, nutritious, affordable, sustainable, and age and culturally appropriate food

National Performance Framework Outcome

We respect, protect and fulfil human rights and live free from discrimination

We tackle poverty by sharing opportunities, wealth and power more equally

We grow up loved, safe and respected so that we realise our full potential

We are creative and our vibrant and diverse cultures are expressed and enjoyed widely

UN Sustainable Development Goals

1 No poverty

2 Zero hunger

3 Good health and well-being

5 Gender equality

10 Reduced inequalities

Right to Food^[14]

ICESCR Article 11

UNCRC 24 (2)c

UNCRC 27 (1)

UNCRC 27 (3)

CEDAW 12 (2)

Good Food Nation Outcome

Outcome 2

Scotland’s food system is sustainable and contributes to a flourishing natural environment. It supports our net zero ambitions, and plays an important role in maintaining and improving animal welfare and in restoring and regenerating biodiversity.

National Performance Framework Outcome

We value, enjoy, protect and enhance our environment

We have a globally competitive, entrepreneurial, inclusive and sustainable economy

UN Sustainable Development Goals

6 Clean water and sanitation

12 Responsible consumption and production

13 Climate action

15 Life on land

Right to Food^[14]

ICESCR Article 11

UNCRC 24 (2)c

Good Food Nation Outcome

Outcome 3

Scotland’s food system encourages a physically and mentally healthy population, leading to a reduction in diet-related conditions.

National Performance Framework Outcome

We are healthy and active

We grow up loved, safe and respected so that we realise our full potential

UN Sustainable Development Goals

3 Good health and well-being

Right to Food^[14]

ICESCR Article 11

UNCRC 24 (2)c

UNCRC 27 (1)

UNCRC 27 (3)

CEDAW 12 (2)

Good Food Nation Outcome

Outcome 4

Our food and drink sector is prosperous, diverse, innovative, and vital to national and local economic and social wellbeing. It is key to making Scotland food secure and food resilient, and creates and sustains jobs and businesses underpinned by fair work standards.

National Performance Framework Outcome

We have thriving and innovative businesses, with quality jobs and fair work for everyone

We have a globally competitive, entrepreneurial, inclusive and sustainable economy

UN Sustainable Development Goals

8 Decent work and economic growth

9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure

10 Reduced inequalities

11 Sustainable cities and communities

Right to Food^[14]

ICESCR Article 11

Good Food Nation Outcome

Outcome 5

Scotland has a thriving food culture with a population who are interested in and educated about good and sustainable food.

National Performance Framework Outcome

We are well educated, skilled and able to contribute to society

We live in communities that are inclusive, empowered, resilient and safe

We are creative and our vibrant and diverse cultures are expressed and enjoyed widely

We grow up loved, safe and respected so that we realise our full potential

UN Sustainable Development Goals

4 Quality education

11 Sustainable and communities

12 Responsible consumption and production

Good Food Nation Outcome

Outcome 6

Scotland has a global reputation for high-quality food that we want to continue to grow. Decisions we make in Scotland contribute positively to local and global food systems transformation. We share and learn from best practice internationally.

National Performance Framework Outcome

We are open, connected and make a positive contribution internationally

We have a globally competitive, entrepreneurial, inclusive and sustainable economy

UN Sustainable Development Goals

9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure

12 Responsible consumption and production

17 Partnerships for the goals

Right to Food^[14]

ICESCR Article 11

Measuring Progress: Targets and Indicators

The Act requires that there should be indicators and measures to assess our progress towards achieving the Outcomes. Targets specify what we are aiming to achieve: for example, our aim to halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significantly reduce associated diet-related inequalities. Indicators are what will be measured to judge whether targets have been met: for example a corresponding indicator for this target could be percentage of children at risk of obesity or percentage of adults and children with a healthy weight.

Tables 2.1-2.6 set out the wide and varied range of food-related policies that contribute towards each of the Good Food Nation Outcomes, along with the indicators and other measures (such as targets) that we will use to assess our progress towards achieving the Outcomes. The targets column also collects a range of “other measures” that reflect other work being undertaken to achieve the Good Food Nation Outcomes. This includes for example collaborative working with industry partners.

We will continue to develop indicators and targets for these Outcomes, and additional measures will be included in future plans.

Data

As we develop new food-related policy we will need to be able to collect data that allows us to measure progress towards any new targets that are set. When developing policy we need data to know where we are starting from (baseline data) and measures we can use to track progress towards our targets. The timelines associated with targets can vary hugely, from a few years to decades, so a collaborative approach will be needed to ensure we have the means in place to collect the data we need.

We have other levers we can use, such as Part 2 of the Agriculture (Retained EU Law and Data) (Scotland) Act 2020 which provides for the collection and processing of data. The powers within this legislation will contribute to the work that we will do to collect the data required to ensure we set realistic targets and have appropriate measures to assess progress towards these targets.

The Scottish Government engages with the UK Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP), a multi-year partnership between government, academia, industry, and civil society. This partnership aims to improve availability, accessibility, and policy use of data across health and environmental metrics. Where there is opportunity for the Scottish Government to work within the FDTP to develop opportunities for data collection around agri-food to help us meet our Good Food Nation Outcomes we will work to do so.

It is important to acknowledge that some data may be more complex to collect and may not be available on a regular basis, making reporting on targets more complicated. In some instances, data availability is also impacted by factors outwith our control. Most recently the Covid-19 pandemic has made data gathering harder and reduced availability of some data during this period.

Identifying new targets

We have been working to identify new targets that can be included in the Plan. We have considered the range of targets suggested by parliamentarians and stakeholders during the Parliamentary process associated with the Act, and in discussions with a wide range of policy colleagues across the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Food Coalition supported this process and undertook work to set out the rationale and data availability for a range of targets. The results of this work have fed into the consideration of targets and will inform future work.

A review of suggested targets was carried out by Scottish Government policy officials. The outcome of this review was that there is limited scope to include the targets in the first national Plan because:

a. Many of the targets would require significant work to define exactly what is meant so as not to cause unintended consequences

b. There is concern about the feasibility and affordability of meeting the targets and the costs of associated data collection

c. Data to use as indicators to measure progress is not available for all targets, making assessment of our progress difficult. Consideration also needs to be given to balancing the most efficient way to collect the data without creating a disproportionate bureaucratic burden

d. In some cases the Scottish Government is restricted in what can be done owing to the interaction between reserved and devolved powers and by international trade agreements

Setting any new target is a complicated task and requires careful consideration to ensure it is specific, realistic, feasible, affordable, legal, and measurable. After careful consideration the following commitments have been agreed. These aim to strengthen existing targets, set “direction of travel” targets, and undertake the initial work to develop targets that can be included in future iterations of the national Good Food Nation Plan.

Proposed new targets

Extend current diet and healthy weight commitments

The Scottish Government has an existing target aiming to halve childhood obesity by 2030. We propose to extend this to:

• To aim to halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significantly reduce associated diet-related inequalities

We will also widen the reach beyond children by committing to aim to:

• Increase levels of adult healthy weight
• Reduce adult diet-related health inequalities

Strengthen household food insecurity commitments

Direction of travel targets would reflect the Scottish Government’s commitment to reducing household food insecurity in line with progressively realising socio-economic rights. Narrative reporting against these could provide a nuanced view of both the contribution that the Scottish Government is making: for example the impact of action linked to our Cash-First Plan towards ending the need for food banks; as well as the wider factors that might be contributing, including wider UK and global issues such as inflation.

We propose to strengthen our household food insecurity commitments by aiming to:

• Reduce the number of households facing moderate to severe food insecurity
• Reduce the reported number of households accessing emergency food provision

Work to inform future targets

Work on the measures to assess progress against the main Outcomes in the Plan will be an ongoing process, and we will continue to improve and strengthen the targets with each iteration of the Plan. Some of this work will involve further consideration of how some aspects of previously suggested targets might be included. Other programmes of work that are ongoing will also be tracked and, once finalised, could be used to inform future targets in the national Good Food Nation Plan.

Public procurement

We recognise there is a great deal of interest in using public procurement as a tool to support the Good Food Nation ambition. While issues around data availability exist, further consideration will be given as to whether there are public procurement targets that could be developed for future iterations of the national Good Food Nation Plan.

Animal welfare

There is ongoing work to include a suite of animal welfare targets, informed by the findings of planned consultations, in future iterations of the national Good Food Nation Plan. There are currently Programme for Government commitments to consult on phasing out cages for gamebirds and laying hens.

Ongoing work

Work that is currently being undertaken may feed into targets in future iterations of the Good Food Nation Plan:

• outcomes being developed in relation to the Agriculture Reform Programme
• the work by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition in relation to ultra-processed foods
• the work of the new Food Security Unit

Table 2.1 Outcome 1: Everyone in Scotland eats well with reliable access to safe, nutritious, affordable, sustainable, and age and culturally appropriate food.

Scottish Government Policies

• Agricultural Policy
• Best Start Foods
• Climate Change and Agriculture
• Climate Change
• Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan
• Early Learning and Childcare Meal Provision
• Early Nutrition and Diet
• Eating Out, Eating Well framework and code of practice for children’s menus
• Food Education
• Food and Drink in Hospitals and Social Care
• Food and Drink in Prisons
• Food and Drink in Schools
• Fisheries Management Strategy
• Free School Meal Provision
• Household Food Insecurity
• Infant Feeding
• National Planning Framework 4
• Public Procurement
• School Age Childcare Food Provision
• Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme
• Sustainable Aquaculture
• Tackling Child Poverty

Indicators

• Proportion of households experiencing household food insecurity
• Number of pupils registered for free school meals
• Percentage of pupils present at school taking school meals (free or paid for)
• Number of day care settings and children registered to the Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme
• Proportion of children in Scotland living in: relative poverty; absolute poverty; combined low income and material deprivation, and; persistent poverty (after housing costs)
• Scottish Dietary Goals
• Proportion of public and private sector food businesses implementing the Eating Out, Eating Well framework and code of practice for children’s menus
• Number of local authorities that participate in the Food for Life Scotland Programme

Targets/other measures

• Fewer than 10% of children living in relative poverty by 2030
• Fewer than 5% of children living in absolute poverty by 2030
• Fewer than 5% of children living in combined low income and material deprivation by 2030
• Fewer than 5% of children living in persistent poverty by 2030
• Halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significantly reduce associated diet-related inequalities
• Reduce adult diet-related health inequalities
• Reduce the number of households facing moderate to severe food insecurity
• Reduce the reported number of households accessing emergency food provision

Table 2.2 Outcome 2: Scotland’s food system is sustainable and contributes to a flourishing natural environment. It supports our net zero ambitions, and plays an important role in maintaining and improving animal welfare and in restoring and regenerating biodiversity.

Scottish Government Policies

• Agricultural Policy
• Allotments and Community Growing
• Animal Welfare
• Biodiversity Strategy
• Circular Economy and Zero Waste
• Climate Change and Agriculture
• Climate Change
• Crofting
• Education Act 1980 (sustainable school catering duty)
• Fisheries Management Strategy
• Organics
• Plant Health
• Public Procurement
• Seafood Trade
• Sustainable Aquaculture
• Venison Sector
• Vertical Farming

Indicators

• Greenhouse gas emissions produced by the agriculture sector
• Use of nitrogen fertilisers
• Percentage of commercial stocks fished at sustainable levels
• Scottish Dietary Goals

Targets/other measures

• Reduce per capita food waste by 33% by 2025
• Aim to double the amount of farmland managed organically in Scotland by end of this parliamentary term (2026)
• Existing legally binding annual emissions reduction targets including: 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (compared with a 1990 baseline), and net zero emissions by 2045
• Scottish Ministers have international commitments to address biodiversity loss, articulated in the Global Biodiversity Framework of the UN Convention on Biodiversity, which includes targets relating to reducing the global footprint of consumption, global food waste, overconsumption and waste generation
• The Scottish Government have made a #123 Food Loss and Waste Pledge for Climate Action

Table 2.3 Outcome 3: Scotland’s food system encourages a physically and mentally healthy population, leading to a reduction in diet-related conditions.

Scottish Government Policies

• Allotments and Community Growing
• Best Start Foods
• Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan
• Diet and Healthy Weight – Out of Home Action Plan
• Dietary Recommendations
• Early Learning and Childcare Meal Provision
• Early Nutrition and Diet
• Eating Disorders
• Eating Out, Eating Well framework and code of practice for children’s menus
• Food Education
• Food and Drink in Hospitals and Social Care
• Food and Drink in Prisons
• Food and Drink in Schools
• Free School Meal Provision
• Household Food Insecurity
• Infant Feeding
• Mental Wellbeing for Adults
• National Planning Framework 4
• Public Procurement
• Reformulation for Health Programme
• School Age Childcare Food Provision
• Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme
• Tackling Child Poverty

Indicators

• Percentage of adults and children with a healthy weight
• Percentage of children at risk of obesity
• Percentage of adults and children consuming recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day
• Number of local authorities that participate in the Food for Life Scotland Programme
• Fruit and vegetable intake of children aged 2-15
• Scottish Dietary Goals
• Proportion of public and private sector food businesses implementing the Eating Out, Eating Well framework and code of practice for children’s menus
• Number of companies investing in reformulation

Targets/other measures

• Reduce drop off in breastfeeding rates at the 6 to 8 week point by 10% by 2025
• Halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significantly reduce associated diet-related inequalities
• Increase levels of adult healthy weight
• Reduce adult diet-related health inequalities

Table 2.4 Outcome 4: Our food and drink sector is prosperous, diverse, innovative, and vital to national and local economic and social wellbeing. It is key to making Scotland food secure and food resilient, and creates and sustains jobs and businesses underpinned by fair work standards.

Scottish Government Policies

• Agricultural Policy
• Crofting
• Food and Drink Industry Support
• Fisheries Management Strategy
• Livestock products
• Organics
• Plant Health
• Public Procurement
• Reformulation for Health Programme
• Retail Policy
• Seafood Trade
• Sustainable Aquaculture
• Tourism
• Venison Sector
• Vertical Farming

Indicators

• Number of people employed in the food and drink industry
• Number of people employed in agriculture
• Value of Scottish food and drink exports
• Value added by the Scottish food and drink industry
• Number of registered food and drink enterprises
• Number of registered crofts
• Median weekly full-time earnings across the Scottish food and drink growth sector
• Number of companies investing in reformulation

Targets/other measures

• The Scottish Government supports the food and drink sector by providing funding for Sustaining Scotland. Supplying the World – The Food and Drink Industry Strategy

Table 2.5 Outcome 5: Scotland has a thriving food culture with a population who are interested in and educated about good and sustainable food.

Scottish Government Policies

• Allotments and Community Growing
• Best Start Foods
• Circular Economy and Zero Waste
• Diet and Healthy Weight – Out of Home Action Plan
• Dietary Recommendations
• Early Learning and Childcare Meal Provision
• Early Nutrition and Diet
• Food and Drink in Schools
• Food Education
• Free School Meal Provision
• National Chef
• School Age Childcare Food Provision
• School Meal Content
• Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme
• Tourism

Indicators

• Funding committed to food education and community food projects
• Scottish Dietary Goals
• Proportion of public and private sector food businesses implementing the Eating Out, Eating Well framework and code of practice for children’s menus

Targets/other measures

• Halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significantly reduce associated diet-related inequalities
• Increase levels of adult healthy weight
• Reduce adult diet-related health inequalities

Table 2.6 Outcome 6: Scotland has a global reputation for high-quality food that we want to continue to grow. Decisions we make in Scotland contribute positively to local and global food systems transformation. We share and learn from best practice internationally.

Scottish Government Policies

• Agricultural Policy
• Animal Welfare
• Biodiversity Strategy
• Climate Change and Agriculture
• Climate Change
• Fisheries Management Strategy
• Food and Drink Industry Support
• Livestock products
• Plant Health
• Seafood Trade
• Sustainable Aquaculture
• Venison Sector
• Vertical Farming

Indicators

• Number of engagements with international colleagues on food system
• Greenhouse gas emissions produced by the agriculture sector

Targets/other measures

• Existing legally binding annual emissions reduction targets including: 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (compared with a 1990 baseline), and net zero emissions by 2045
• Scottish Ministers have international commitments to address biodiversity loss, articulated in the Global Biodiversity Framework of the UN Convention on Biodiversity, which includes targets relating to reducing the global footprint of consumption, global food waste, overconsumption and waste generation
• The Scottish Government have made a #123 Food Loss and Waste Pledge for Climate Action