Brussels mandates supermarkets to donate unsold food

It was about time the heart of the EU made something about the wasteful approach to produce

The galloping inflation in Europe has made the problem of food security central even in the wealthy and industrialized societies of the EU. In response, the Brussels-Capital Region government has decided to make it obligatory for large supermarkets to donate their unsold food, starting in 2024, as a way to counteract the issue.

The new ordinance will affect retail food outlets with a surface area of more than 1,000 square metres, which means that more than 100 supermarkets will fall under this category.

Apparently, these days the question of what to do with food that nears its expiration date but is still good for consumption is the prerogative of each retail outlet to decide.

Currently, there is a varied landscape, with three distinct ways of dealing with the fluctuating mismatch between supply and demand in the food sector.

Some supermarkets donate their unsold food voluntarily if they have an arrangement with different charities. Others try to sell the food but at reduced prices, and yet others simply throw it away.

All of this shows

Inefficiencies and gaps in the urban consumption-waste balance.

Currently, a supermarket in Brussels donates just over a tonne of usable food each month. From 2024 onwards, a legal framework will be introduced between supermarkets and beneficiary organisations to facilitate donations.

Considering that 70,000 people in Brussels alone rely on food aid, it is unacceptable that we are still throwing away tonnes of edible food," said Alain Maron, Brussels Welfare Minister, quoted by The Brussels Times.

The plan of the regional government is to standardize the situation to create a working model that reduces waste and improves the allocation of food resources among the residents.

The capital region will provide guidance both to supermarkets and charities so that they can come up with a system that works for everyone. The aim is to also make the work of the two logistics platforms selected for collecting unsold goods (Dream and Loco) easier.