Collective catering and food waste: guide to the laws
According to ADEME, the French waste more than 10 million tonnes of food each year. Households and industries are not the only ones responsible since 1.6 million tonnes come from collective and commercial catering.
Faced with this challenge, France is combating food waste through legislation. To regulate and minimize this waste, the Garot, EGALIM, and AGEC laws aim to reduce its environmental impact. They form a regulatory framework that guides professionals toward new, sustainable practices.
The guide to the laws:
The Garot law: precursor of the struggle
The Garot law, adopted in 2016, was the first in Europe against food waste. Initially for mass distribution, it is now extending to collective catering. Its main provisions include:
- Combating destruction: It is now forbidden to destroy foodstuffs that are still edible.
- Donation agreement: Large stores must donate their unsold goods to associations. This concerns collective catering with more than 3000 meals/day.
In collective catering, initiatives include:
- Easier donations: Administrative barriers to food donations are removed.
- Education against waste: Schools and businesses are integrating awareness programs to educate from a young age.
- Promoting doggy bags: Encouraging customers to take home leftovers to reduce waste.
The EGALIM law: strengthening quality and sustainability on the plate
The EGALIM law (for “General States of Food”) has been in effect since October 2018. It rebalances relations in the agricultural sector, promoting healthy, sustainable and accessible food. Concerning collective catering, this law reinforces the provisions of the Garot law and introduces new measures:
- Plan to combat waste: Obligation for schools to deploy concrete strategies.
- Quality requirement: Since 2022, 50% of the products served in institutional catering must be organic, locally sourced, or bear a responsible or quality label (Label Rouge, PDO, PGI, etc.). Diners must be informed of the percentage of these products in the dishes served. Discover our guide to developing responsible purchasing in catering
- Menu diversification: Establishments must offer vegetarian options and varied protein sources, but also educate diners about taste diversity.
The AGEC law: setting ambitious objectives for the future
The AGEC law, promulgated in 2020, aims to halve food waste by 2025 in food distribution and collective catering, and by 2030 in other areas. It introduces specific actions:
- Diagnosis and prevention: It becomes necessary to establish an accurate diagnosis and define clear objectives for reducing waste, but also to implement preventive actions.
- Food waste reduction target: Catering providers must aim for a 50% reduction in food waste compared to 2015.
- Donations encouraged: The law facilitates the donation of surplus food for charitable purposes in order to reduce food insecurity
- Organic waste management: Establishments must sort and recover waste, opening the door to initiatives such as composting or methanization.
- Training of stakeholders: Staff must be trained in good anti-waste practices to ensure the effectiveness of the measures adopted.
Towards eco-responsible collective catering
This legislation represents a considerable step forward for collective catering, imposing strict standards and clear objectives. Sector professionals are encouraged to comply with these regulations not only for their legal value but also for their potential to transform the industry into a model of sustainability.
For establishments looking for solutions to meet these legal requirements, Kikleo offers innovative tools based on artificial intelligence. These solutions make it possible to carry out an accurate diagnosis of food waste and implement effective reduction strategies.
If you are committed to reducing food waste and looking to improve your collective catering practices, we are here to help you. Contact us to explore how our technologies can help you achieve food waste reduction goals and implement sustainable management practices.
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