The food industry is to face sweeping new mandatory requirements to measure its impact on obesity, supply chain emissions and animal welfare with the launch of the new Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP), The Grocer can reveal.
A result of the government’s response to proposals in Henry Dimbleby’s National Food Strategy, the body has been given a five-year remit to draw up common metrics to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the sector and society.
This week the body, which will involve more than 60 of food and drink’s leading figures, held its first meeting. It was co-chaired by former Nestlé supply chain boss Chris Tyas, and David Kennedy, director general for food, biosecurity and trade at Defra.
Its work will be split into three groups covering public health, animal welfare and sustainability. A fourth will overseeing the development of data and a system of transparent reporting.
However, while the partnership will draw up plans for mandatory systems of measuring impacts, the proposal has as yet stopped short of setting mandatory targets – though it is understood they have not been ruled out.
Last June, ministers revealed plans to “leverage the collective energy and enthusiasm across the food system” to drive a transformation in health, animal welfare and environmental outcomes through food.
It came in a response to Dimbleby’s call for all businesses with over 250 employees to publish annual data including the value and tonnage of sales of HFSS, meat and fruit & veg, as well as food waste, among other key data.
The Food Standards Agency is said to have played a key role in the creation of the new body, with director of openness, data and digital Julie Pierce to co-chair the overarching panel on data and transparency alongside GS1 CEO Anne Godfrey. The public health reporting working group will be co-chaired between the DHSC and former Sainsbury’s and M&S health boss Judith Batchelar.
Meanwhile, IGD and Defra will lead work on sustainability that will focus on drawing up mandatory systems of reporting Scope 3 emissions across the supply chain.
Food chain Nando’s, which itself was embroiled in controversy over animal rights issues three years ago, before launching a major commitment to improve its processes, will co-chair the animal welfare working group with Defra.
A source told The Grocer the partnership had been given a mission to draw up a “long-term framework” which would affect the food industry for many years to come.
“This is an evolution from Dimbleby’s idea of a National Food Database into a way of collaborating on and mandate a process of measuring the key impact the industry has on the environment and health,” they said.
“It will involve everyone from the largest brands to SMEs. We are talking about a very large section of the industry right across grocery and involving every part of the supply chain, which is vital if we are to achieve the challenges that are faced.”
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