Food waste reduction – the latest legal obligation of economic agents

In order to limit to a minimum the quantity of food products that are destroyed, the Chamber of Deputies adopted, on the 18 October this year, the law on reducing of food waste (the ”Law").

The approved version of the Law contains only general provisions, following that in 6 months from its publication in the Official Gazette, the Government to establish the methodology for implementing the Law.

The Law on food waste reduction will come into effect in one year from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

 

What are the economic agent’s obligations?

The economic agents engaged in the production and sale of food products are obliged to perform the following actions, in the following order:

i.   efficient sizing of stocks and priority sale of the products that are approaching expiry date;
ii.   donating food that is close to expiry, but still suitable for human consumption, toward foundations and community associations, hospitals, orphanages and homes for the elderly;
iii.   directing the food toward animals, in case its consumption became unsuitable for human consumption and provided that it does not affect the animals’ health;
iv.   directing the food toward agriculture as fertilizer, in case it is unsuitable for both human and animal consumption; 
v.   directing the food toward energy valorisation, by converting it into methane gas or by direct incineration.
 

What are the applicable sanctions? 

The only behaviour sanctioned by the law is the deliberate destruction of food products that had become unsuitable for human consumption due to natural degradation, the value of the administrative fine being RON 10,000.

 

This article was written by Maria Ghinea.

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