Policy Lab session at HDHL

Several other key messages from the day resonated with the Bauhaus Bites approach. Kremlin Wickramasinghe, WHO Regional Advisor, called for a shift in direction, arguing that EU countries should stop subsidising unhealthy food companies and instead strengthen public sector leadership, anticipate power dynamics in policymaking, and reduce fragmentation across actors. Milka Sokolovic from the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) highlighted the leverage effect of public procurement for healthy food, stressing that companies will not take responsibility spontaneously and that health policy is needed to drive change. Sara Lamonaca, speaking from an industry perspective, pointed to the need for examples of actions that improve health while also working for industry, proposing pre-competitive platforms as a way forward.

These discussions connect directly to the work Bauhaus Bites is doing across its seven cities, where communities, local institutions, and policymakers are co-creating healthier, more sustainable and inclusive food environments through the project’s People, Places and Policy approach.