Food Campaigns
The Scottish Green Party is campaigning for nothing short of a revolution in our food culture.
Greens want change in four key areas:
Good Food
Obesity and diet-related illness are major causes of disease in Scotland. The high sugar, salt, processed fat and additive content of food, often misleadingly labelled, is a major factor.
Greens want food to make us healthy, not sick. We want local authorities to provide schools, hospitals and care homes with healthy, fresh, local food.
We want all processed food to be fully labelled and additives of questionable value banned. We want advertising of junk food to be controlled and fast food vending machines removed from schools.
Safe Food
Hardly a week passes without another food safety scandal. The way we grow most of our food is harming our land, water and wildlife. Greens want food to be safe for both consumers and the environment.
We are committed to organic food: Greens forced action on organic production in the last Scottish Parliament session and our aim is to have much more organic food grown in Scotland. Labour and the Liberal Democrats have opened the door to genetically modified (GM) crops in Scotland, despite the proven economic and environmental damage they have caused in Canada and the U.S. We will close that door.
Local Food
As fruit and vegetable producers struggle to make a living in Scotland, cheap imported berries, beans, salads and tropical delicacies are flown thousands of miles by polluting planes to boost supermarket profits.
Greens want local, small-scale food producers and food sellers to be encouraged, including local shops, farmers’ markets and box schemes.
The way we import food from all over the world is fuelling climate change. The taxation system must be reformed to ensure that the polluter pays: the distance food has travelled is reflected in its price.
Fair Food
Fresh and healthy food is out of reach for many of the poorest communities in Scotland. We see this as a priority for change. The immense power of supermarkets over our high streets, our farmers and over the entire food chain has become a major concern.
The relentless drive for profit by the supermarkets means Scottish farmers and farmers in developing countries are receiving less and less for their produce. An industry survey in 2005 showed 88% of people want regulation to force supermarkets to act in the wider public interest.
More Information
Download our leaflets from the 2003-2007 parliamentary session:
Search the site for items on food.