The new Good Food Local: London report shows Barking and Dagenham is a leader in improving its food environment. 

The report shows an overall improvement by the council in its food offer compared to last year. The council’s overall score in 2026 is 79 per cent, two per cent higher than last year and 26 per cent higher than 2023. 

The areas where the council is recognised as a London leader include: 

Food governance and strategy – the council has established a Food Partnership of social enterprises, schools and colleges, faith groups, community centres, businesses and the council and co-creating the borough’s first Good Food Plan, a strategic plan to improve the food system across five priorities. 

Food poverty alliances – work has been done to improve access to healthy and diverse food for all residents and increase food security, particularly through community cooking clubs.  

Healthy Start – support has been given to pregnant women and parents of under fours to access milk and fresh produce through this national scheme. 

Sustainable Food Economy – supporting local food businesses and enterprises to thrive and improve their offer to residents.  

Catering and procurement – the council has worked with its local school catering service to improve school food. The council became the fifth signatory of the London Food Purchasing Commitment in 2025. 

The report highlights the borough’s multiple initiatives to improve and grow the local food economy, including  sector-specific food business mentoring services, a growing local catering offer and a grants programme linked to the council’s bespoke Good Food Enterprise framework.   

The report also highlighted the council’s work with corner shops, where support has been offered to improve the availability of healthy, sustainable and culturally diverse, nutritious food.  

Cllr Sade Bright, Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills and Aspiration, said: “This report shows that we are improving the food offer right across the borough in lots of different ways.  

“Access to healthy and nutritious food has never been better in B&D and we’re continuing to work hard to ensure that people of all ages get the food they need.  

“Healthy, nutritious food for all has been one of our key priorities for years, its impact on the health, wellbeing and life chances of our residents is hard to overstate, so I’m very pleased to see our continuous improvement in this area reflected in the report.”  

Kath Dalmeny, Chief Executive at Sustain, said: "It is inspiring to see how much work councils have achieved to improve their local food systems for the benefit of their communities.   

“Food brings people together, but unequal access to good, nutritious food also divides us.   

“Connecting the dots and taking a strategic approach to improving the lives of Londoners through better food policy means councils are driving real change on the ground, and building greener, healthier and more equitable places, now and into the future.”  

You can read the report in full here.