Members unanimously against food waste – Le Dauphiné Libéré

Completed unsold sprayed with bleach. MEPs adopted Thursday a set of amendments to fight against food waste.

These measures, driven by Guillaume Garot, PS d éputé of Mayenne and former minister Jean-Marc Ayrault in charge Agri-aim primarily large retailers, since they prohibit large areas of over 400 m² to throw, and especially the destruction of food.

The supermarkets will be forced to sign agreements donation of these commodities with solidarity associations. The food that can not be given should be valued either for feed animals or to make compost. Finally, the adopted amendments want to prevent waste, including through sensitization of children at school.

Distributors angry

‘C’ is a text that goes in the right direction, and reinforces partnerships that already exist “, says Jacques Bailet, president of the French Federation of Food Banks. Will the associations equipped to “cope” with these gifts? Jacques Bailet is not worried: “All associations are not, but it is useless that they all have their cold room. It is better that they form partnerships, such as with food banks. “

Distributors side, we cringe. “The law is wrong both target and subject, to retail, which represents only 5% of food waste, protests Jacques Creyssel, delegate general of the Federation of trade and distribution. We are the first donors and more than 4,500 stores have signed agreements with humanitarian organizations. “

In the Assembly in any case, the amendments created a rare consensus. In addition to having been adopted unanimously, they were co-signed by MPs PS, UMP, Left Front and EELV. It is almost certain that they will be adopted permanently. They are indeed part of the law on the energy transition. The amendments which have been voted the were during his second run in the Assembly.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, every year, more than 7 million tonnes of waste are thrown throughout the food chain. A mess which represents a loss of more than 400 euros a year per household and against which the government wants to fight. In 2012, he had set a target to halve food waste by 2025.