Our strategy: 2021 to 2026

We focus on the issues that matter most to people in Scotland, including renewed emphasis on improving the Scottish diet and associated negative health consequences.

BSL - Our strategy to 2026

Healthy, safe, sustainable: Driving Scotland’s Food Future

This new strategy to 2026 aims to build on the progress we have made. It recognises the need for us to be adaptable and respond to a changing food environment. We also recognise the diverse interests of our stakeholders and consumers, and take into account concerns around sustainability and climate change.

There is renewed emphasis on our ambition to improve the diet. We aim to help reduce levels of overweight and obesity in Scotland and the burden of diet related disease that inhibits the nation’s wellbeing and prosperity. While this is a long-standing and complex public health challenge, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the harmful impacts of excess body weight into sharper focus, highlighting the need for us to act urgently to improve Scotland’s diet.

We cannot do this alone and must work with others that have statutory duties to improve public health and diet. 

We will continue to put evidence first, gathering data on what we eat and the risks to our food chain. Research on the social, ethical and environmental factors that influence the way it is produced, supplied and consumed is other important evidence that we will use. This will ensure we remain trusted and influential – providing advice which makes a difference, and supports improvements in the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland as our food environment continues to change.

We have also developed a three year Corporate Plan, which describes the work that will be undertaken to deliver our new strategy between 2021-24. This is accompanied by a timeline showing our key deliverables for 2021/22, which will be updated on an annual basis to enable us to monitor progress towards the six goals described in our strategy.

More on this topic

News

Tackling Scottish diet at heart of Food Standards Scotland new 5-year strategy

Food Standards Scotland has today (19 May 2021) published its strategic ambitions for the next five years. It will focus on the issues that matter most to people in Scotland, including renewed emphasis on improving the Scottish diet and associated negative health consequences.