Professor Laure Saulais, Université Laval, Canada. Image: Armando Perez-Cueto.
27 February 2026
Can Public Procurement Make Food More Local?
On 24 February, researchers and societal stakeholders convened in Umeå to explore how public procurement can be strategically leveraged to create more sustainable, resilient, and locally rooted meal systems. Drawing on perspectives from Canada and Sweden, the seminar examined the influence of public sector purchasing decisions on health, regional development, and environmental outcomes throughout the entire food supply chain.
The seminar Can we make it local? The Challenges of Public Meal Procurement in Canada and Sweden was organised by the Arctic Six Chair in Sustainable Food Transitions at the Arctic Centre, in collaboration with NorthFood, and hosted by the Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science.
Opening the seminar, Professor Armando Perez-Cueto emphasised that public procurement should not be seen as an administrative function, but as a strategic policy instrument:
“Public procurement is a powerful lever in the food system. The choices made here influence not only what ends up on the plate, but also public health, local economies and the sustainability of entire regions.”
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