Public food procurement represents an estimated €50 billion a year in the EU, giving the provision real potential to shape demand toward local, seasonal and sustainably produced food, and to support short supply chains connecting small and medium-sized producers directly to public buyers. The proposal replaces the lowest-price default with a stronger emphasis on the Best-Price Quality Ratio, giving these food-specific criteria more room to factor into award decisions.  

Food sustainability organisations, including Farm Europe and Eat Europe, welcomed the new food-specific criteria but noted that Article 53 grants permission rather than obligation, and called for the framework to go further, including the possibility for public buyers to restrict or prohibit procurement of ultra-processed foods. The proposal now moves to the European Parliament and the Council for negotiation.

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