The Council of Ministers has approved this Tuesday a bill against food waste that
obliges companies in the food chain
(from farmers, through manufacturers, to distribution)
to have a prevention plan
to minimize waste and divert these foods to other uses.
The rule, now beginning its parliamentary process and is expected to come into force in January 2023,
provides for fines for companies that do not have this plan of between 2,001 and 60,000 euros
.
"This law
aims to regulate and raise awareness.
Regulate the preferential use of food for human consumption and its donation to food banks and raise awareness in society as a whole to avoid food loss and waste", said the minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas.
All companies will have to have this plan, except businesses with less than 1,300 square meters.
Bars and restaurants, another source of waste,
will have the obligation to make it easier for consumers to take away what they have not consumed.
Buffet-type establishments must have containers that are reusable.
30% is wasted
According to Agriculture, Spanish households throw away 1,364 million kilos/liters of food, according to 2020 data, while the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that
30% of food is wasted. food produced in the world.
Aecoc, the Association of Manufacturers and distributors that brings together more than 32,000 companies, "shares the general spirit and objective of the bill".
However,
regarding the proposal to include a sanctioning system,
they opt for one in the style of Italian law, "instead of opting for a sanctioning model such as the French one, which, up to now, has proven ineffective, given the difficulties to establish control mechanisms.
The sector already has a voluntary adherence initiative in which more than 700 companies already participate and which, thanks to the adoption of prevention plans in line with the proposals in the Bill, large retailers have managed to reduce from 1 .78% to 0.9% the percentage of unused product over the total marketed.
Donation
The law's priority
is to allocate waste for human consumption
through donations to companies, NGOs or food banks.
The minister has recognized that this can suppose an extra cost for the companies.
These will have to guarantee the traceability of donated products through a registration system.
Food that is not suitable for human consumption will be used for animal feed and
feed manufacturing,
use as by-products in another industry and obtaining compost or biofuels.
Serious sanctions will be penalized with a fine of between 60,001 and 500,000 euros
.
As minor, with fines of up to 2,000 euros, it is considered not to apply this hierarchy of priorities in the use of food or that industries, retail distribution companies, hotels and restaurants do not carry out the donation of those products not sold through a pact or agreement.
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