Sustainable public food procurement in Italy. Minimum Environmental Criteria and definitions of sustainability

Sustainable public procurement is potentially a powerful policy instrument to alter production and consumption trends and achieve favourable environmental and social objectives. Italy has been deemed one of the EU Member States most committed to sustainable public procurement as it has mandatory provisions on all levels of public purchasing. Since 2017, the use of Minimum Environmental Criteria in tenders has been mandatory. This chapter examines the use of sustainability criteria in public food tendering. There are environmental, social and healthy eating criteria which are applicable to tenders for food products and catering services. The chapter gives an in-depth analysis of the mandatory Minimum Environmental Criteria for public food procurement adopted in 2020. It will show how the Criteria taken together comprise a comprehensive sustainable food procurement strategy.