The French government has moved to outlaw the destruction of food waste by supermarkets, with a law that requires stores to donate unsold food to charity or allocate it for use as compost or animal feed.
The new legislation was praised by Socialist MP Guillaume Garot, who said that it is "scandalous to see bleach being poured into supermarket dustbins along with edible foods."
The move forms part of an initiative by the French government to cut food waste by half by 2025.
Under the new law, medium to large supermarkets will be obliged to sign an agreement with a local charity to facilitate food donations, while schools will also see the introduction of an educational programme about food waste.
According to L'Express, French consumers throw away between 20kg and 30kg of waste food per annum, costing between €12 billion and €20 billion.
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones
