The Guardian has reported that ministers are drawing up an ‘inspection regime’ to enforce rules limiting sugar, fat and salt in school lunches.
Schools are under a legal duty to abide by food standards intended to tackle childhood obesity, but the lack of effective monitoring means that violations mostly go undetected, even though they are widespread.
According to the Guardian, three-quarters of secondary schools serve unhealthy foods such as chips, burgers and hash browns more often than they are allowed, research found last week.
Following the consultation held earlier this year, an April press release provided more information on the direction the DfE were considering. They said at that time: “To ensure schools follow the new standards, the government is committed to developing a robust national enforcement system including monitoring schools’ compliance. Full details will be announced this September, with enforcement in place from September 2027.“
It is reported that ministers at the DfE would like to fix the problem by expanding the role of environmental health officers (EHOs) to check the food standards when they inspect school kitchens, according to well-placed sources.
The DfE announced in April that it would require every school to appoint a lead governor to be responsible for food and publish a policy and menu online. However, it is reported that campaigners, including School Food Matters and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, have persuaded ministers that tougher regulation is needed.