Italy is set to pass a new law that will require supermarkets to give unsold foods to charities than throw it in the waste. Italy will become the second European country after France to pass this law that bans supermarket to throw away unsold food.
According to Independent, the law is expected to be passed at the parliament on Monday, where it also receives bipartisan support. Italy wishes to offer businesses incentives by donating food and help the country's 12-billion-euro waste problem.
As of this moment, restaurants or supermarkets must declare their donations progress. The food safety regulation has 17 articles in the bill allowing businesses to offer food after its "best before" date.
Maurizio Martina, Italy's Agriculture Minister said, "We are making it more convenient for companies to donate than to waste." "We currently recover 550 million tonnes of excess food each year but we want to arrive at one billion in 2016," he added.
In other news, a Democratic Party MP named Maria Chiara Gadda who represented the law said, "Punishing wasters is not so helpful: this is all about encouraging donations." The Italian system is considering all food outlets wishes to give their extra food to charity, they must also declare it beforehand, according to The Telegraph.
The law also changes the rules on numbering of products, making it possible to donate it even if they passed its "best before" dates. Martina also said, "We are making it more convenient for companies to donate than to waste."
A million euros a year will be billed to the food packaging for the next three years. Leading supermarkets in UK pledge to downgrade their food and drinks waste. Local authorities and manufacturers are also committed to the contract created by the Waste and Resources Action Program.
