The review focuses on the role of government in supporting sustainable supermarket food in the UK, and in particular, on the effectiveness of government policies towards the food system and supermarkets, and the extent to which these policies are helping or hindering progress towards sustainable development.  

The review identifies six key priority areas for government and supermarket action on:

• Climate Change
• Waste
• Water
• Ecosystems
• Nutrition and obesity
• Fair Supply Chains

You can find more information on the Sustainable Development Commission website 




This week has also seen the release of the Competition Commission’s investigation into UK grocery markets.  The report recommends the introduction of an ombudsman to resolve disputes between retailers and suppliers and a ‘competition test’ that local authorities must consider when granting planning permission. However, the report failed to order the largest supermarkets to sell stockpiled land.  The report has implications for both the planning system and farming across Scotland. It may also impact on the outcome of the current local food policy discussions. More info