Italy has become the second EU country after France) to use legislation to reduce the amount of food supemarkets throw away.
In the past, Italy's tax rules made it difficult for supermarkets to donate unsold food to food banks or other charitable distribution schemes. The change to the law means donation is now a much easier option. It will also be possible to give away food which is past its 'sell by' date, as long as it is still safe to eat, which removes another obstacle to donation. The target is to double the amount of food saved from Italian scrap heaps, to 1 billion tonnes a year.
According to WRAP, the British waste resources agency, the UK throws away 15 million tonnes of food every year. However, Sustain has argued that simply donating 'surplus' food to food banks, though preferable to sending it to landfill, distracts attention both from systemic problems in supply chains and from the reasons why people need to use food banks.
Read more about Sustain's work on food waste and food poverty here.
Published Friday 18 March 2016
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
