Food and drink in schools: consultation analysis report

Method of Analysis

The four themes used in the consultation were:

• increase fruit and vegetable provision;
• reduce sugar in school food and drink;
• set a limit for red meat and processed red meat; and
• amend secondary school food and drink provision across the school day.

The first four questions focused on one each of the four themes above were analysed to ascertain whether they agreed or disagreed with the proposal. Where a response did not specify agree or disagree but the comments indicated agree or disagree they were categorised as such. Responses that did not answer the question (instead providing general comment) or it was not clear whether they agreed or disagreed have been categorised as inconclusive. This does not mean the content of this category has been ignored. Instead the general comment will be taken account of in other ways for example when drafting the guidance which will accompany the amended school food and drink Regulations.

The fifth question asked about what further action could be taken to improve the content of school food and drink provision.

Where specific elements of the proposals set out in the first four questions were commented on, a multiple key word search was undertaken across the responses to all five questions and each associated response considered individually in order to provide percentages within the report for each of the specific common elements commented on.

The multiple key word search was done across all five questions to ensure that every comment on the specific elements highlighted in the first four questions were included regardless of where that comment was made. For example a comment about flavoured milk would be included in the percentages reported regardless of whether it was made in response to question four (reducing sugar) or question five (further improvement).

Each response to the consultation has been analysed equally with no additional weighting being afforded to one category of respondents over another.

Where a comment states it relates to primary school provision it has been categorised as such. Where a comment states it relates to secondary school provision it has been categorised as such. Where a comment states it relates to the provision of both primary and secondary school provision it has been included in both categories. Where neither has been stated it has been included in both categories unless information contained in that response indicates it should not be treated as such.