Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing food mile targets in food networks.

An assessment of the potential merits of food mile targets has not been made. The Good Food Cycle highlighted the importance of strong and resilient local food systems.

It is important to note that ‘food miles’ alone are not a reliable measure of a product’s total environmental impact. For most foods, the production stage represents the largest share of emissions rather than transport.

Through the Food Data Transparency Partnership, the Government is working to improve the consistency, accuracy and accessibility of environmental impact data across the food sector. This includes the standardisation of scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions reporting, covering emissions generated across supply chains, including those associated with transport.

The Government is also working to strengthen local food systems and support integration of local business into supply chains, particularly for public procurement.