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First regulation in Spain
Last week, the Council of Ministers approved the first regulation against food waste since the draft law was drafted, which was enacted in Spain. This bill aims to reduce the amount of uneaten food thrown away and promote better use of food.
Food waste is the third largest generator of greenhouse gas emissions globally. If it were a country, food waste would be the third largest emitter behind the United States and China.
Every year, one-third of the world's food production ends up in garbage and landfills, with 70% of this food suitable for human consumption. This edible and nutritious food that is lost, discarded, and wasted can feed an estimated 2 billion people, or more than twice the number of undernourished people in the world (FAO) Food and Agriculture Organization (UN).
During 2020, Spanish households threw away 1.364 billion kilos/liters of food.
Sanctioning Regime
The sanctioning regime establishes as a serious offense NOT HAVING A PLAN FOR THE PREVENTION OF FOOD LOSSES AND WASTE, for which it provides for sanctions that may range between (2,001-) 60,000 – 500,000 euros, as well as the second or subsequent minor offense that involves a repeat offense within a period of two years.
Failure to apply the HIERARCHY of PRIORITIES in the use of food, or failure by industries, retail distribution companies, hospitality and catering companies to donate unsold products fit for human consumption through a pact or agreement, will be considered minor infractions; as well as refusal to cooperate with public administrations in quantifying food waste.
REDUCING WASTE – AN ETHICAL IMPERATIVE
The law's motivation responds to the ethical imperative for public authorities to drastically reduce the volume of food loss and waste, in line with the Government's broad guidelines of social justice, environmental protection, and economic growth. It is also an obligation for all operators in the food supply chain, and a task that must involve society as a whole.
