Lynx Purchasing has significantly expanded the number of schools and education providers we work with over the past year. This has been a learning curve for us, as we build our understanding of the issues facing the sector, both day-to-day and strategic.
Equally, it means that we are continually building a knowledge base that we can share with both existing and potential customers.
With the end of the school year upon us, now is a great time for schools to start planning for the next. Some of the issues the sector faces, and ways in which we can support our education customers, include.
New School Food Standards: The consultation for these ends in September 2026, with the rollout of the new policy expected from September 2027. The new rules will apply to all school food, including breakfast clubs.
The key proposed changes include restrictions on deep-fried food, high-sugar and processed foods, and will require menus to include more fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, fibre and pulses. There is an emphasis on ensuring that desserts are made up of at least 50% fruit, and limiting the drinks offering, removing fruit and combination drinks, encouraging water, low fat milk, and low/no added sugar drinks in primary schools.
One area of concern is that in trials of the new requirements, the changed menus have resulted in a 15% drop in pupils’ uptake of school meals, with parents opting for a packed lunch which is then less nutritional than the food on offer.
Food suppliers can offer support by offering their expertise to develop menus that meet the guidelines while still appealing to pupils and parents, as well as supporting schools to market their menu offering.
The full consultation can be found at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-food-policy-team/school-food-standards-updating-the-leg-framework/supporting_documents/school-food-standards-updating-the-legislative-framework-government-consultationpdf
Benedict’s Law: This new UK legislation requires all schools to implement strict allergy-safety measures, including staff training on treating anaphylaxis.
Suppliers can help by ensuring full detail of all allergens in products are communicated, enabling staff to understand where these feature within their menus. Where necessary, Approved Buying Lists can be put in place to ensure that no unauthorised product enters the kitchen.
This law becomes mandatory from September 2026. Staff require full training, which is something that always comes at a cost, putting further pressure on budgets. Managing purchasing is one way to offset the cost.
Natasha’s Law: This legislation provides strict guidance to ensure that any food pre-packaged for direct sale is clearly labelled with full ingredients and highlighted allergens.
This means that schools, and particularly breakfast clubs, which now have to adhere to the same standards, should review their sourcing. Products from supermarkets and other retailers may not provide the necessary allergen compliance information, which will come with products from dedicated foodservice suppliers.
Budgets: In the state sector, the food budget is currently approximately £2.53 per school meal, although estimates suggest the actual cost is nearer to £3.16. Now that every pupil from a household in receipt of universal credit is entitled to a free school meal, this expansion is costing a typical school an additional £10,000 – £20,000.
While the government is considering injecting an extra £1bn into schools and local authorities to fund the expansion of free school meals from 2027, for the time being schools, including academies, need to fully fund to shortfall. Again, working with a purchasing specialist can help to manage costs.
Private Schools: Food costs in the private sector were averaging at £5 per meal until recently, but the quality of the food offer is one key area that parents will look at carefully when considering a school.
The imposition of VAT on private school fees introduced last year means schools are having to improve their offer to parents at the same time as managing their costs far more effectively.
In its White Paper, “Back To School With Lynx Purchasing”, identifies the purchasing challenges facing the schools’ sector, as well as the way improvements to purchasing discipline can deliver significant savings.
At the same time, Lynx has assembled a task force of leading suppliers across key purchasing areas for schools. These include food and drink, utilities and lighting, waste management, stationery, printing and photocopying, disposables and chemicals.
Time is tight, but schools could still have more robust purchasing in place for the start of the new school year. Book a meeting to discuss ways Lynx Purchasing and our specialist suppliers can support you on any and all of the new regulations, by emailing hello@lynxpurchasing.co.uk