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The goal of this research is to assess the role of the public sector in fostering sustainable food chains in light of the recommendations provided in the UK by the Curry and the Obesity reports. To examine their claims about the role of public procurement for re-localising the agri-food sector and preventing the devastating effects of obesity on national health and economy, this project compares the school meal system in Italy, which is widely perceived to be a leader in the provision of healthy school food, with the UK, where "healthy eating" initiatives are underway to improve children's diets.

Specifically, the project focuses on school meals in three different empirical contexts: 1) the macro-regulatory context of the EU reformed legislation on public procurement; 2) the national contexts of Italy and the UK, where such legislation is interpreted  in contrasting ways; and 3) the local authority contexts of five case studies that are perceived to be exemplars of good practice in the procurement of school meals. By integrating the analysis of food production and consumption, this project aims to understand the causes and effects of creative public procurement in East Ayrshire (Scotland), Carmarthenshire (Wales), South Gloucestershire (England), Piombino (Tuscany) and Rome (Lazio). London and New York have been added as case studies to include in the research issues of scale and urban food planning.

Award/Grant Outputs and Documents
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