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Olympic chiefs urged to make food healthy
Matthew Beard, Evening Standard26.03.08
Olympics chiefs have been urged to sell only healthy and ethical food at the London Games.
The list of 20 demands for sustainable produce comes from London Food, a commission backed by Mayor Ken Livingstone.
Its authors oppose the exclusive deal London 2012 has with fast food chain McDonald's, and wants a range of promises on food and drink from the organisers of the "greenest Games ever". These include targets for selling to the estimated 500,000 visitors 75 per cent unprocessed food, 50 per cent local and 30 per cent organic. Food outlets should also commit to a minimum 80 per cent UKgrown fresh produce and 65 per cent of food should be vegetarian or vegan, with all meat being organic.
London Food, which is funded by the London Development Agency to create a 10-year food strategy for the capital, wants most drinks to be fairtrade.
In a bid to reduce bottled water consumption it has demanded fans are allowed to bring their own refreshments and has called for drinking water fountains at venues - moves that would be a boost for the Evening Standard's Water On Tap campaign.
The Games organising committee, Locog, is currently devising a policy on food and drink sustainability and will publish it later this year. The plans will also cover the challenge of catering for some 15,000 athletes from more than 200 countries.
It is thought Locog wants to focus on sustainable local supply chains that will last beyond the Games as well as coping with the surge in demand at the event itself. A spokeswoman said: "This strategy will encompass opportunities to promote local, seasonal, organic and fairtrade produce and support viable local supply chains."
Antagonism has surrounded catering arrangements for the London Games because of the exclusive deal McDonald's has with the International Olympic Committee. The chain will have an agreed number of outlets at Olympic venues but 2012 chiefs have pledged to offer a variety of food.
London Food is also calling for products to have no artificial additives or high added sugar or salt, and for confectionery to be 100 per cent organic.
The organisation wants a food festival near the Olympic Park in Stratford and a pledge to create 2012 "new food-growing paces" across London, including community gardens, allotments and roof gardens.
