News & Views

From September 2026, the biggest expansion of Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility in years will come into effect across England, bringing significant changes for schools, caterers and, most importantly, families.

As another school year wraps up, the Red Box team would like to wish all our current, past, and future clients a very Happy Summer Holiday!

Awarding a contract is only the beginning of a successful partnership. Whether the service relates to catering, cleaning, facilities management or wider support services, ongoing contract monitoring is essential to ensuring that standards, costs and performance continue to meet expectations throughout the life of the agreement. At Red Box Consultancy Services we work with clients across education, business and industry, retail and leisure, and the wider public sector to provide tailored auditing and monitoring support that helps organisations maximise value from their contracts.

Sleep plays a vital role in our overall health and wellbeing, yet many people struggle to get the quality rest they need. While factors such as stress, screen time, and lifestyle habits all affect sleep patterns, diet can also have a significant impact on how well we sleep. Research shows that certain foods contain nutrients which may help the body relax, regulate sleep hormones, and improve sleep quality naturally. Making small adjustments to your evening meals and snacks could help support a healthier sleep routine.

As schools and Multi-Academy Trusts begin planning for the 2026/27 academic year, many are reviewing their catering and cleaning contracts to ensure they continue to deliver quality, compliance and value for money. At Red Box Consultancy Services, we support schools and trusts through every stage of the procurement process, helping clients secure service providers that meet both operational needs and budget requirements.

With new statutory allergy safety guidance coming into force from September 2026, schools will soon be required to demonstrate robust policies, trained staff, and effective emergency response capability. At Red Box Consultancy Services, we are already supporting schools and trusts to get ahead of these changes with a flexible, practical approach that builds both confidence and compliance.

On 8th April, Red Box attended the School Food Review Consultant Roundtable, joining industry professionals for an important discussion on the future of school food provision. Bringing together consultants and sector stakeholders, the session focused on some of the most pressing challenges facing school catering today — from delivering food standards and navigating funding pressures, to defining what best practice looks like in a rapidly evolving landscape.

The government’s overhaul of school food standards is easy to picture — fewer puddings, more pulses — but the reality is more systematic. This is not just a menu tweak. It is a shift towards clearer, tighter and more enforceable rules on what schools can serve.

Red Box is delighted to announce that we will be attending the upcoming SCIS Annual Conference 2026, taking place on Thursday 23rd April at the iconic Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh.

The introduction of HFSS (high fat, sugar and salt) advertising restrictions in January 2026 marks a significant shift for the UK food and drink sector. With a 9pm watershed on TV advertising and a ban on paid-for online ads, the legislation aims to reduce exposure to less healthy food — particularly among younger audiences. While the intention is clear, the wider implications for the industry are more complex.