The Trust's voluntary code of practice for drinks provided in schools encourages the provision of healthier drinks that are unsweetened and additive free wherever possible.
The School Food Trust believes that drinks provided in schools should offer pupils nutritional benefit (including hydration). We believe that rules about school drinks should be as simple as possible for schools to follow. This is in keeping with the School Meals Review Panel (SMRP), which recommended that schools should serve only plain drinks (water, milk, fruit/vegetable juice, fermented milk), or combinations of these. Current EU Regulations however, allow combination drinks to contain a range of additives which we believe are not necessary. The Trust’s voluntary code of practice for drinks provided in schools (the SFT drinks code) encourages the provision of healthier drinks that are unsweetened and additive free wherever possible.
Following a series of meetings in summer and autumn 2007 with representatives of the drinks manufacturing industry, school food distributors and caterers, and others with an interest in the health and well-being of school children, the Trust launched a public consultation on a draft code of practice for drinks provided in schools. Following consideration of the consultation responses, the code of practice has now been finalized.
- The VCoP indicates a direction of travel that says “we want to provide the best for our children”
- There should be no added colours
- There should be no added natural sweeteners (except to milk drinks to encourage the consumption of a key source of calcium), as fruit juice contains its own natural sweeteners
- Drinks should not contain artificial sweeteners
- Drinks should not contain other additives except those necessary for stability, regulation of acidity, and the preservation of the integrity of fruit juices
- Natural or nature-identical flavourings should be permitted only in flavoured milk (or non-dairy equivalents) to promote the consumption of a key source of calcium
- Fortification should be used only where there is evidence of a clear and focused public health benefit
The Trust expects that:
- Schools will sign up to the drinks code, and commit to providing only compliant drinks to encourage healthier eating practices amongst their pupils. They will accept only compliant drinks from their catering providers and drinks suppliers
- Drinks manufacturers, suppliers and distributors will sign up to the SFT drinks code and commit to supplying only compliant drinks, or to offering compliant drinks. These two categories are mutually exclusive, so if you are looking for any companies who are signed up to provide compliant drinks, please check both lists. All marketing and sales information aimed at schools and caterers providing drinks for schools should indicate which drinks are compliant
- Supporters will sign up to reinforce the message that only healthier drinks should be provided in schools.
To sign up to the VCoP as either a Drinks Manufacturer, Drinks Supplier, Drinks Distributor, Caterer, School or just as a supporter of the scheme then print off and return the application form below. Full details are included in the document.
Voluntary code of practice for drinks provided in schools application form
Click here to download (Adobe pdf doc 28KB)
A list of companies and schools already signed up will follow shortly.
Where are we now? – Meeting Report
In September 2010, nearly two years after the launch of the drinks code, the Trust held a meeting to understand the progress that manufacturers and suppliers had made implementing the drinks code, and the challenges they had faced. Details of the background to this meeting and the discussions that took place are described in the ‘Voluntary Code of Practice for Drinks in Schools – Where are we now?’ meeting report.
Voluntary Code of Practice for Drinks in Schools – Where are we now?
Click here to download (Adobe pdf doc 109KB)
