Our response to the proposed Right to Food (Scotland) Bill consultation held by Rhoda Grant MSP - February 2022

Scottish Labour MSP Rhoda Grant is holding a public consultation on the proposed Right to Food (Scotland) Bill. The Bill proposes to enshrine the Right to Food into Scots Law. This consultation follows on from a previous consultation on the same topic, held by former MSP Elaine Smith in September 2020.

The proposal argues that establishing a statutory right to food for all is an urgent matter, and should be part of a separate, expedited process, as the food sector impacts on so many policy areas. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the need for this and has highlighted how important healthy weight is for the overall health of the population.

Obesity Action Scotland is supportive of enshrining the human right to food into Scots law as it would help to ensure that Scottish Government and other public sector bodies prioritise wellbeing of people and environment in decisions on the food system. At Obesity Action Scotland, we also believe that the Right to Food should encompass the right to food that is healthy and sustainable - that promotes both human and planetary health - ensuring everyone can access healthy diets. 

View our consultation response here. 

The consultation closed on 16th February 2022.