- Recommendations on best practices for the purchase of catering services, including estimations of the amount of food required, excess food management and meal selection.
- Recommendations on best practices for service suppliers, including:
- Sustainable food purchasing criteria
- Sustainable work equipment (appliances) and cleaning products
- Best practices to reduce waste when preparing and storing dishes and meals
- Recommendations on best practices for meal packaging, accessories (utensils, napkins) and delivery.
Social issues
Health and hygiene
- In Québec, restaurant and food service inspections are carried out by the city of Montréal (in Montréal) and the Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) (elsewhere in Québec).
- Between April 1, 2011, and March 31, 2012, over 1 100 cases of foodborne outbreaks affecting 2 859 people were reported. They were caused by foods consumed:
- In restaurants (603 cases, 50% of total cases)
- At home (551 cases, 45.7%)
- In other establishments (39 cases, 3.2%)
- In institutions (14 cases, 1.2%)
- Foodborne outbreaks were most often reported for the meats and poultry food group (32.1%). Most of the reported foods were sold in restaurants (56.1%) or by retailers (37.8%).
- Pesticide residue on foods constitutes a serious source of contamination in light of the substances’ negative, cumulative effects, which act as endocrine disrupters in the human body.
Nutrition and allergies
A 2009 study on the eating habits and nutritional intake of Quebecers revealed that:
- Almost two-thirds of Quebecers consume less than two portions of dairy products per day and one-third do not consume the minimum number of portions of fruits and vegetables recommended in Canada’s Food Guide (five portions);
- 35% of adults in Québec do not consume enough grain products;
- Almost 9 out of 10 Quebecers consume between 100 and 300 grams of meat and alternatives each day, while the daily recommended intake is 187 grams;
- Adult Quebecers do not meet all of their nutrient needs and are deficient in vitamin A, vitamin C, dietary fibre and calcium.
- According to the study, eating more fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grain products and lean meats would fill these nutritional gaps.
- Sugar constitutes 21% of the average Canadian’s daily calorie intake: 31% is from fruits and vegetables but a high percentage (35%) is from other foods, including beverages, which are among the main sources of sugar. According to the Institute of Medicine, no more than 25% of a person’s daily calories should come from sugar. The WHO recommends no more than 10% of daily calories from free sugars.
- Data released by Health Canada in 2013 confirmed that 5 to 6% of Canadian children and 3 to 4% of Canadian adults suffer from food allergies. Regardless of the causes, food allergies are no longer the exception and are here to stay.
Product information
- In Canada, a food product’s 13 core nutrients must be included in a table of nutritional values (fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, fibre, sugar, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron). However, retailers are not obligated to include the table on foods that are prepared or processed in store (e.g. bakery products, salads, etc.).
- In Canada, the standards for nutrition claims (health- and nutrient content-related) are set out in the Food and Drug Regulations. Even so, restaurants and food services may issue misleading statements, the most common of which pertain to the place of origin, quantities, preparation methods, falsification/substitution, quality and nutritional value and diet.
Occupational health and safety
- Food preparation and services involve a series of occupational health and safety risks, including lacerations (from knives, cutters, slicers, choppers and grinders), burns (from open flames, hot oil, steam, ovens, appliances and utensils), electric shocks (from cooking and cleaning equipment) and falls and back injuries (from slippery and cluttered floors, tense and repeated movements and vibrations).
Pay and working conditions
- In Ontario, the restaurant and food services sector is the largest employer of minimum wage workers, most of whom are young students in their first jobs. The situation in Québec is similar.
- Without question, the main impacts of catering services are the life cycles of the foods: 60 to 70% of the impacts are generated by the agricultural activities involved in food production.
- According to the Association des restaurateurs du Québec (ARQ), the food services industry is responsible for 17 to 32% of greenhouse gas emissions in Québec. In addition, an average restaurant consumes over one million litres of water and generates 11.5 tonnes of waste annually.
- In Québec, the restaurants, hotels, institutions and businesses that process, manufacture and distribute food and beverages generate 20 to 50% of the organic residue that is actually edible food processed as waste.
- A 2014 Provision Coalition study revealed that 8% of the food waste in Canada is generated by food services, especially owing to dish compositions, menu options, portion sizes and inadequate food management and storage.
- A 2010 study conducted by experts at Ohio State University revealed that there is a demand for greener restaurants and that consumers are willing to pay more for these services. In fact, 65% of respondents were willing to pay up to 10% more and 20% of respondents would pay an even higher price.
- As part of the Love Food Waste project, WRAP, an NPO in the UK, reduced London food waste by 14% as part of an intense six-month campaign.
- Menu composition is an important factor, since judicious food selection can help promote healthy eating habits and reduce environmental impacts.
- Producing 1 kg of veal generates approximately the same amount of GHG as 220 km of car travel.
- In Canada, bad eating habits (junk food) lead to some 50 000 deaths each year. The average Canadian ingests twice the amount of salt recommended by Health Canada.
- As inspiration, the sustainable purchasing criteria set out for catering services by Acheteur Durable include a clause that suppliers must retain 5% of working hours for employees enrolled in work transition programs.
- As detailed in the following section on priority purchasing criteria, reusable and recyclable dishes are always a better choice than compostable options, which involve several end-of-life management challenges. In fact, compostable plastic dishes cannot be composted in a backyard composter. In addition, industrial composting facilities only rarely accept compostable plastic dishes since it is difficult to determine whether the material is actually compostable and differentiate it from standard plastic dishes.
- Should an event choose to use compostable dishware, all of the items should be certified compostable (utensils, glasses, straws, trays, etc.). Otherwise, there is a significant risk that the dishes will be mixed with other plastics and contaminated. In addition, composting service suppliers may refuse the waste or require a significant supplementary cost in light of the material’s low potential and the necessary processing of contaminants. Also, some certified compostable products are very dense (e.g. utensils) and therefore require more time to compost. They generally end up eliminated by the screener along with the contaminants. For more information on the issues and challenges in the composting sector, please refer to:
- The technical sheet on the impacts of packaging on the separate collection and recycling of PLA bottles by ÉEQ (in French)
- RECYC-QUÉBEC’s notice on shopping bags, degradable bags section (in French)
Rethink the need (buy less, buy better)
- Specifically consider menu composition:
- Precisely define the need based on the type of event and its objectives (e.g. health break, full meal, cocktail, etc.);
- Select local products that are in season;
- Limit the amount of meat-based dishes and select other types of proteins, since studies reveal that animal protein production generates more environmental impacts (especially GHG) than other types of food production.
- Plan purchases with suppliers in advance so as to remain as flexible as possible with regards to menu options.
- Oversee catering services activities
Ensure compliance with regulations
Consider the 3R-R approach
THE 3R-R aproach | |
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Reduction; |
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Reuse |
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Recycle and recover |
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Cost overrun to purchase ecoresponsible catering services
Running costs savings
Sustainable purchasing criteria | information to be obtained form the supplier |
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Overall environmental performance and ecoresponsible practices of the service provider
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Environmental performances of food products (refer to the ECPAR information sheet on food products)
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Refer to the food products information sheet (in french) for a complete list of certifications. |
Optimal waste management (at the supplier’s place of business and at the event site)
Reduce food waste at the source by:
Reuse and recover edible food leftovers for meals and containers and packaging within the organization
Recover waste by:
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Sustainable dishware, ustensils and table ware
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Health and hygiene
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Nutrition
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Go to the web site of the MELIOR program or request proof of program enrolment. |
Product information
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Go to the Health Check web site or request proof of program enrolment.
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Local purchasingThe compliance of the following criteria with the regulations that apply to public bodies was not verified. Readers must carry out the necessary research.
In order to maximize the socioeconomic benefits of purchases and potentially reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by transport (for an equivalent mode), it is best to purchase local products.
Catering services:
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Purchasing from social economy entreprises
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Refer to the list of social economy enterprises in the Rationale and additional information section |
Sustainable purchaising criteria | Information to be obtained from the supplier |
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Energy-efficient cooking and cleaning equipement
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Overall environmental performances of cleaning products
Priority criteria: Overall environmental performance – biodegradable, non-toxic, non-irritant, VOC-free products (less than 0.05% weight percentage)
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Refer to the cleaning products information sheet for a complete list of applicable certifications:
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Ecoresponsible work clothes
Priority criteria: Overall environmental performance—organic, recycled content and life cycle certification
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Refer to the work clothes information sheet for a complete list of applicable certifications
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Sustainable delivery service
Priority criteria: Overall environmental performance – carbon-neutral (GHG offsetting) and low-emissions vehicles
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Refer to the courier services information sheet for a complete list of applicable certifications. |
Ecoresponsible packaging
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Health and hygiene
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Allergies
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Product information
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Occupational health and safety
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Pay and work conditions
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Description | food products | other products and equipement | transport | operations | delivery | end of life |
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The agricultural activities required to produce food generate approximately 60 to 70% of impacts. |
The manufacturing of the other products and supplies used by service providers generate close to 10% of impacts.
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The GHG emissions of supply transport for food products, materials and packaging lead to impacts.
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Meal preparation operations (refrigeration, freezing, cooking, etc.) generate almost 10% of impacts. |
Impacts liés au transport des repas et leur livraison jusqu’au lieu de consommation (si applicable) |
Waste management activities generate almost 10% of impacts. |
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Agricultural production, livestock production and agri-food processing require significant labour forces and are often associated with considerable occupational health and safety and labour law risks. The extent of the risks and the quality of the working conditions depend on the product and its origin. | Excluded from the system | The main social issues are associated with health and hygiene, nutritional quality and product information. Issues related to occupational health and safety and working conditions have also been documented. | The main social issue associated with the end-of-life phase is food waste. |
food products | Others products and equipement | Transport and delivery | Operations | end of life | |
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Description | Agricultural activities and production | Manufacturing plant | Transport | Kitchen equipement | Recovery, transport, recycling od landfilling |
Contribution to the issues |
(E) Very significant
(60 % to 70 %)
(S) Very significant
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(E) Minor (1 %)
(S) Not applicable |
(E) Significant (10 % to 20 %) (S)Significant |
Minor to significant (5 % à 10 %)
(S) Minor
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Explanations |
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Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) |
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SFI certified chain of custory (x% certified forest content,x%certified sourcing,x% post consumer recycled) |
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FSC Mix (Mix and/or recycled fiber) |
FSC 100% recycled | |
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PEFC recycled |
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Product origin