Food for Life Scotland

Transforming food culture across Scotland

The Soil Association's Food for Life Scotland programme aims to transform food culture across the country, so we can all eat food that is good for us, our communities and the planet.

To achieve our aim, a dedicated Food for Life Scotland team is working with:

Caterers in the public and private sectors to improve the food served in local authorities, schools, universities, workplaces and healthcare institutions by increasing the number of meals certified by the Food for Life Catering Mark

Producers, suppliers and caterers to create new markets and shorter, sustainable supply chains

Consumers and communities to increase the awareness, understanding and promoting the benefits of fresh, healthy, local, seasonal and organic food

Policy makers, strategic thinkers and food champions to encourage and enable change in policies and food culture at local and national level

The Food for Life Catering Mark

A key element of the programme is to support caterers in schools, nurseries, hospitals, leisure and tourism outlets and workplaces to achieve the Food for Life Catering Mark.

The Catering Mark is the Soil Association’s prestigious national food award, and the only UK-wide certification scheme that provides a guarantee that food is fresh, seasonal and better for animal welfare. Bronze, silver and gold tiers encourage caterers to make step-by-step progress towards using more local, free range, fair trade and organic ingredients to produce healthier menus.

Currently, more than 25,000 Catering Mark meals are served across Scotland every day. 

Find out more about the Catering Mark in Scotland.

Edinburgh Food for Life Partnership

An ambitious Edinburgh Food for Life Partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian is also underway, which aims to embed a culture of real food change across the capital.

Food for Life Scotland is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and The Scottish Government, with additional funding to help support the Edinburgh pilot from City of Edinburgh Council, University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian.