The Spanish government on Tuesday approved a bill aimed at reducing food waste by imposing fines on restaurants and supermarkets that stock leftover food, similar to current legislation in France and Italy.
“This is a pioneering legal tool to prevent waste” in the food chain from producers to consumers, resulting in financial losses and impacting on the environment, Food Minister Luis Planas said after a cabinet meeting. “In a world where hunger and malnutrition unfortunately still exist, these are issues that affect everyone’s conscience,” he added.
The bill, due to be debated in parliament, aims to reduce the 1.3 million tons of food and drink dumped into Spain every year, equivalent to a loss of 250 euros ($266) per person, according to government figures.
Under the new legislation, both supermarkets and restaurants will have to find ways to distribute leftovers to NGOs and food banks.
In cases where, for example, the fruit is too ripe for sale, it must be used to make jam or juice, and in cases where it is no longer suitable for human consumption, it should be used as animal feed or composted. To avoid waste, restaurants will also have to provide “dog bags,” which are free containers for customers to take home their leftovers, an unusual practice in Spain. The bill establishes fines for non-compliance in the amount of 2001 to 60,000 euros. The goal is to pass legislation that “raises awareness” about food waste, Planas said. Private families will not be subject to sanctions, but will be the object of information campaigns. Other countries, such as Italy and France, have already passed food waste laws in recent years. In line with targets set by the United Nations, the European Union has committed to halving food waste for businesses and consumers by 2030.
