When their stomachs growl, almost two million Austrians go to a company or public canteen every day. An action plan should actually give priority to regional products, but research shows that virtually no canteen operator can pay the higher price for local food.
The ‘sustainable government procurement’ action plan (naBe plan) has been applicable to buyers and chefs of public large kitchens since 2021. This plan is intended to help increase the share of regional food in public catering such as hospitals or nursing homes. With approximately half a million guests per day, this would not be an insignificant factor for our economy.
However, a recent survey among 500 public canteen operators revealed numerous challenges that hinder the successful implementation of the “naBe plan”. The main reasons given were too high a price difference between local and foreign ingredients, as well as too small a purchasing budget.
One euro requirement
Robert Pichler of the association “Wirtschaften am Land” sees the climate ministry, which developed the “naBe plan”, as an obligation: “To increase the sales of local food in commercial kitchen purchases, we need financial incentives that ensure that the sustainability criteria of origin, animal welfare and biological motivation”.
Pichler calculates: “One euro more per portion of food would be enough to make the 450,000 daily meals in public canteens sustainable. This ‘canteen euro’ may only be paid out if sustainable purchasing is proven by invoice receipts.”
Regional quality has its price
The Boerenbond can also benefit from the “canteen euro” and supports the demand for the future government. The difference between “regional” and “doesn’t matter” is particularly striking when it comes to poultry meat, says Georg Strasser, chairman of the farmers’ association: “Even half of the poultry in our public canteens comes from Austria, while for turkey meat it is only 56%. Every second turkey strip salad comes from abroad – that puts pressure on our farming families and it doesn’t have to be that way.”
Consumer behavior in the private sector has proven to be quite contradictory. For example, the Austrians reject keeping animals on full schedules and place very high demands on the way they are kept and produced. “But people often buy the cheapest,” says animal welfare expert Maggie Entenfellner from “Krone”. “I think it is a good step that the state sets a good example and subsidizes purchases in its canteens!”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
