ROMANIA: Supermarkets to donate foods close to the expiration date | Progresiv

The Senate approved a bill that states traders of food products, with a sales area of over 400 square meters, are required to donate foods that are approaching their expiration date. Also, the bill prohibits all companies engaged in the sale of food products to throw the food on the expiry date for consumption.

Under the bill, traders that have commercial premises with an area of over 400 square meters, destined to selling foods will have to sign a contract with humanitarian organizations or associations for the protection of animals for donating foods that are approaching expiration date. The foods will be donated in a reasonable time so that they can be used. Traders who do not comply to these provisions will be fined with 15,000 lei.

In the explanatory memorandum, the initiator of the law, UNPR senator Marian Vasiliev, said that, at EU level, food waste is estimated at 90 million tonnes per year, which is "around 180 kg per capita." Regarding this phenomenon in Romania, Vasiliev said that "Romania wastes annually five million tons of food. Encouraging donation of food through legislation is one of the methods that can diminish this phenomenon."

The Senate is the first chamber that debated the project and the deputies will follow to discuss the draft and give their final vote on it.