France Is Banning Supermarkets From Throwing Away UNSOLD Foods, Must Be Given To Charities

A new law in France will make sure supermarkets won’t be able to throw out unsold food, reports The Guardian. In a unanimous vote by the French national assembly, a legislation was passed to prevent grocers from throwing out or destroying unsold products.

Instead, they’ll be required by law to donate to charities.

Most packaged foods sport a “Best By” date somewhere on the product. While they’re still edible after that period, stores don’t tend to keep the ones past the printed dates stocked. These foods are usually what’s destroyed, even if they’re still perfectly safe to eat.

Supermarkets that fail to comply with this new law and purposely soil their foods will face fines up to €75,000 ($82,500 US) or two years of jail time.

France has been working to find a solution to its food waste issue and those struggling to eat in the country. The goal is to reduce food waste in half within the next decade. Because of this, the new law also introduces an education program dealing with food waste in schools and businesses.