France Introduces National Label to Combat Food Waste

Driven by environmental commitment and social responsibility, the French government seeks to find solutions for food waste by educating consumers, considering them as the key to solving the equation. Laws have been enacted obligating institutions to donate surplus food, and a national label has been awarded to entities demonstrating greater dedication in the journey against waste.

Unlike other living species, food isn’t just a means of survival for humans; it carries cultural heritage and present in social and recreational occasions. Perhaps this perspective on food has contributed to the global food crisis and the stark contradiction between countries suffering from famine and those wasting food.

France appears to be a prime example of this ethical and humanitarian dilemma. It produces over 10 million tons of food waste valued at 16 billion euros. According to estimates from the Agency for Ecological Transition, the average French citizen wastes around 30 kilograms of food annually, with 23% of this waste being unopened packaging. In the private sector, thousands of tons of organic waste are produced each year. Companies in the food and hospitality sector alone dispose of approximately 33 kilograms of food daily, equivalent to 50% of all meals in restaurants serving 150 meals a day.

The challenge lies in the fact that food production requires a staggering amount of resources, including water, energy, and labour. This is not to mention the costs associated with transportation, packaging, processing, and storage. When food goes unconsumed, it is left to decompose, releasing greenhouse gases. In France, this food waste contributes to about 3% of the total carbon dioxide emissions. Consequently, wasted food isn’t just a missed economic opportunity; it represents a depletion of the planet’s resources and capacities, both in its production and disposal.

Recognizing this issue, the French government took action. This challenge had been on the French government’s radar for years until 2012 when the Ministry of Ecology, Energy, and Sustainable Development imposed regulations on the private sector regarding the recycling of organic waste. This encompassed grocery stores, agricultural food companies, and restaurants, with penalties for violations reaching up to 750,000 euros.

France is actively exploring various approaches that involve all stakeholders in its fight against food waste. In 2013, they introduced the National Pact to Reduce Food Waste, which the government described as a “collective commitment to combat societal excess in consumption and regain purchasing power.”

The following year, the government launched the National Waste Reduction Program, encompassing 54 measures aimed at achieving a balance in waste production. In 2016, a law was enacted that prohibited grocery stores from disposing of unsold food products or those approaching their best-before dates and mandated them to donate such items.

These efforts also included clarifying misleading labels on food products. Phrases like “usable until this date” and “for best quality, use by this date” were clarified and distinguished from each other. The former is associated with safety and is usually placed on perishable goods, while the latter indicates the period during which the product retains its highest nutritional value and best taste. The expiration of this date does not necessarily mean the product is spoiled. This is the concept that the government aims to educate consumers about to reduce the waste of perfectly edible food.

Following these efforts, France passed the Circular Economy Food Waste Law in 2020. According to this law, by the year 2025, food waste must be reduced by half compared to 2015 levels in terms of distribution, food services. As for consumption, production, processing, and commercial catering services, this goal will be achieved by 2030. This will be accompanied by a gradual phase-out of single-use plastic packaging by 2040.

Additionally, the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy Transition, introduced the “National Waste Label.” This label is awarded by accredited certification bodies to institutions based on their compliance with food waste reduction goals. These institutions include retail stores, dairy products, vegetable and meat producers, commercial restaurants, bakeries, and more, with the potential to extend to the food agriculture sector. Depending on the institution’s performance, it can receive one, two, or three stars for commitment, excellence, and exemplary performance, respectively.

In the capital city, Paris, the government initiated a program for recycling organic waste instead of discarding it. This program involves distributing 7-liter bins for waste sorting, accompanied by instructional guides. It assists 120,000 individuals (the target in its initial phase) in collecting waste and converting it into fertilizers or sending it to specialized facilities that transform it into heat, electricity, or organic fuel.

As a member of the European Union, France is committed to achieving Sustainable Development Goals, including reducing individual food waste by half by 2030. The European Commission is working on legally binding targets after evaluating the situation in member states and monitoring the measures taken.

These efforts faced several challenges, with notable ones being infrastructure and logistical requirements for donation processes. Many charitable organizations were unable to cope with unexpectedly large quantities of food due to a lack of refrigerated trucks and sufficient storage space, especially for perishable goods.

Moreover, differing work schedules and staff capacities between for-profit and non-profit institutions posed another challenge. Grocery stores’ donation timings typically overlapped with the closing hours of charitable associations.

The cost of sorting, storing, and transporting materials is not insignificant, adding to the bureaucratic and regulatory burdens that many institutions complain about. To address this challenge, close coordination among stakeholders is essential.

The donation law mandated by the government led to the emergence of specialty grocery stores that sell products overlooked by retail giants. Additionally, corporate incentives for complying with the law will encourage contributions to resource conservation and food waste reduction. This will result in the establishment of a more sustainable and equitable system for all.

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