Rising costs and supply issues risking quality of school food

A survey of school caterers across England and Wales by LACA has found that children’s access to high quality school meals is at risk due to a combination of rising food costs, supply chain issues and inadequate funding for school food.

The survey found that 90% of caterers are experiencing food shortages as a result of supply chain issues and the rising cost of food, with an average food cost increase of 20% since April 2020. Indeed, half of caterers are now experiencing worse food shortages than in January 2022.

The survey found that 78% of caterers have had to change their menus or reduce menu options as a result of supply chain issues, and 40% are concerned they will no longer be able to meet the school food standards in the new academic year and 55% said that if things do not improve, school food quality will deteriorate.

The report also found that over one third (34%) of caterers are considering using more processed food, with 12% already doing so, and almost 30% of caterers are considering switching from British meat to meat from abroad, with 20% already doing so.
    
57% of LACA's members have seen a drop in the uptake of paid meals, despite 54% of our members seeing FSM eligibility increasing. This indicates that many children are now falling through the cracks due to the cost of living crisis.

The sector is also facing a recruitment challenge, with 78% of caterers reporting a lack of applicants for the jobs they post, and 63% reporting a lack of applicants with the correct skill levels. Moreover, 45% state the situation has deteriorated since January 2022.

The 2.9% increase in Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) funding announced in June is insufficient to deal with the challenge the industry is facing. LACA is urgently calling on Government to increase UIFSM funding in line with funding for Free School Meals (FSM) from £2.41 per meal to £2.47 per meal and for this to increase annually with inflation.

LACA also support the National Food Strategy recommendation to extend FSM to all children whose parents earn less than £20,000 per annum and urge Government to reconsider the decision not to take this recommendation forward in the Food Strategy published in June.

In order to ensure funding follows the child, LACA are also calling for school meals funding to be ringfenced. The budget is currently issued to schools who do not always pass the full amount to the caterer to provide school meals.

Over one-third (38%) of LACA’s members who responded said they do not receive the full £2.47 per meal for FSM. Similarly, 28% of our members who responded said they did not receive the full UIFSM amount when it was at £2.34.