Food policy in Bristol and the Food Charter

The Food Policy Council

The Food Policy Council helps support and develop sustainable food in Bristol. It includes people who represent the main sectors of the food system in the city.

Bristol Food Policy Council website.  

What the council is doing

It is a priority for the council to make sure that people in Bristol have access to food that is affordable, safe and nutritious.

It has adopted a Food Charter and it is working with partners to achieve its ambitions.

• Food Charter (pdf, 271 KB)
• Bristol Food Policy Council work, aims and membership (pdf, 27 KB)
• Food Policy Council work plan – listing current work (pdf, 13 KB)

The 10 ambitions in the food charter

1. Work with all food interests within the city council and within the common definition of "sustainable food".
2. Advocate for income, employment, housing, land-use planning and transportation policies that support secure and sustainable access to the food people need.
3. Adopt food procurement practices that serve as a model of health, social and environmental responsibility whilst maintaining Bristol’s accreditation as a Fairtrade City.
4. Ensure promotion of cooking skills and food safety programmes and services.
5. Ensure the cultural diversity of food in the city is celebrated and promotes the sustainable food message.
6. Support the development of economically viable distribution networks for sustainable food.
7. Work with all interests within the city council and members of the Bristol Partnership to reduce food waste across the city.
8. Actively make the city more secure in terms of being able to meet its own food demands from as close to the city as possible.
9. Encourage community based growing projects, such as community gardens, that increase food self-reliance, improve fitness, contribute to a cleaner environment, and enhance community development.
10. Work with community agencies, residents’ groups, businesses and other levels of government to achieve these ambitions.

Who Feeds Bristol? report

This report builds on findings in the Bristol Peak Oil report and explores the strengths and vulnerabilities in the current food system that serves Bristol and the city region in more detail. The report is a study of the main elements of the food system with an analysis of its resilience. It looks at the ‘positive powers’ cities may have in relation to their food systems and it makes suggestions for action.

Who Feeds Bristol? report: commissioned by NHS Bristol; author: Joy Carey; published March 2011.

• Summary (pdf, 1.0 MB)
• Case studies (pdf, 2.8 MB)
• Full report (pdf, 11.8 MB)

Useful web links

Local and regional networks

• Bristol Food Network Connecting local food interests and showcasing sustainable food activity in the city.
• South West Food and Drink Supporting local food businesses in the South West and helping to develop sustainable food chains.