Abstract
Background
Excess salt intake increases blood pressure and is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in Europe. Intake remains above recommendations, and early-life exposure shapes lifelong preferences. Reducing salt intake in childhood is therefore critical.
Policy context
The European Commission Joint Research Centre’s Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) criteria prioritise salt reduction, particularly in early childhood settings where limiting salt in staple foods such as bread can have substantial impact.
Project
Within the EU JointAction-NCD, the Municipality of Copenhagen has initiated a project to develop and test low-salt bread for children, using procurement as a lever and building evidence for future SPP criteria and municipal strategies. In 2024, 31,000 children consumed ∼63,000 bread-based meals daily (∼215 tonnes of bread annually).
Methods
In 2026, bread producers will develop low-salt bread which is tested in a pilot study in nurseries and daycare institutions focusing on rye bread as a key source of salt in the children’s diet. In collaboration with four bread producers, Steno Diabetes Center and public kitchens low salt ryebread is currently developed to meet SPP thresholds (≤0.3 g salt/100 g for children <3 years). The pilot is conducted in four daycare institutions (∼300 children aged 0–6 years). Baseline intake is estimated as served minus leftover bread at institutional and individual levels.
Outcomes
Product quality, acceptability, and potential health impacts will be assessed. The intervention focuses on rye bread as a major salt source, combining procurement data and weighing methods. Findings will inform procurement criteria and municipal guidelines and support alignment with European nutrition policies.
Key messages
• Public procurement has potential to reduce salt intake in children by targeting staple foods such as rye bread in daycare settings.
• Developing low-salt bread aligned with SPP criteria may support scalable, policy-driven prevention of excess salt intake in early life.