Greens call for organic food at 2012 olympics

[S.Annadana]

Greens call for organic food at 2012 olympics
By Jenny Wiggins, Consumer Industries Correspondent, The Financial Times

Published: December 10 2007 15:17 | Last updated: December 10 2007 15:17

The Soil Association, Sustain and the New Economics Foundation, a think tank, are set to release a report calling on London to make the 2012 Olympics the first Games to serve “sustainable” food.

Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, said: “There’s nothing to stop the Olympics from being a real showcase for healthy eating.”

The groups want McDonald’s, which has the rights to operate restaurants in the Olympic village and park, and Coca-Cola to ensure that 75 per cent of the food and drinks they sell is unprocessed; 50 per cent is locally-sourced; and 30 per cent is organic.

They say these kinds of foods are sustainable because they can be produced with relatively small amounts of energy, cutting down on carbon emissions.

They have also asked Coca-Cola to provide free non-bottled drinking water for all spectators amid concerns that spectators will not have access to free tap water.

McDonald’s said it is already buying most of its food locally. It said the report had “missed an opportunity” to reference the moves it had made towards sustainable sourcing.

Earlier this year it switched to using coffee certified by the Rainforest Alliance (a group that monitors environmental standards and workers’ welfare) and now makes coffee with organic milk. It also buys free-range eggs and fish certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. “You can expect McDonald’s to make more of these moves [towards sustainable sourcing] over coming years,” the company said.

Coca-Cola said it was “exploring ways” to promote water stewardship, sustainable packaging and climate protection at the Games.

At the Beijing Oympics, Coca-Cola plans to use environmentally-friendly refrigeration equipment in Olympic venues and to publicise its community water programs.

The Games’s organising committee has said it will promote local, seasonal, organic and fair trade produce during the Games, but has not specified how exactly it plans to do this. It will develop its food strategy over the next year.

Mr Melchett said the growing popularity of organic food in the UK meant that the organising committee should easily be able find food suppliers to provide it. “By 2012 I think our food culture will be changed dramatically from now,” he said.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007