Quality gains importance in food procure­ment

The European Commission wants procurement decisions to consider more than price alone. Quality should play a greater role. This also affects food companies that supply public-sector organizations. The proposal includes a separate article on food procurement. The rules are not yet final: the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union are still negotiating them.

Criteria for food procurement

The Commission presented the proposal on September 9, 2026. Public buyers may include quality and sustainability in specifications and award criteria. They may also set conditions for contract performance. All criteria must be directly related to the subject matter of the contract.

The proposal lists fairness and transparency in the food supply chain. Fair compensation for the farmers involved may also be taken into account. In addition, the structure of the food supply chain may play a role.

Organic production and geographical indications may also be considered. The same applies to other production methods and animal welfare requirements. Nutritional value, health effects, freshness, and seasonal availability may also factor into the assessment.

Quality will be more important

Under the proposal, the best price-quality ratio would become the standard. In principle, quality criteria would account for at least 30 percent of the total score. For labor-intensive contracts, that share would be at least 50 percent.

Buyers may deviate from this approach if they ensure quality through other means. This could be done through specifications or contract conditions, for example. They must justify this decision in the public summary of the procurement procedure.

One regulation, less duplication

Three existing directives would be replaced by one directly applicable regulation. The number of procurement procedures would fall from five to three. A digital network would connect the national procurement platforms. As a result, companies would only need to submit data and documents once.

Public buyers would also have to consider dividing contracts into lots. They must consider the potential participation of SMEs. The Commission expects administrative savings of €650 million per year.

Ec.europa.eu