New French Law Requires Supermarkets to Donate Unsold Food to Charities

By Hillary Crosley Coker  |  February 9, 2016 | 10:55pm
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After a unanimous vote by the French senate, supermarkets in France are now legally banned from tossing unsold food; instead, owners are required to donate all un-purchased munchies to a charity or food bank.

This new food mandate passed in the senate last week, according to The Guardian, following a petition from Courbevoie councillor Arash Derambarsh. The law applies to all supermarkets 4,305 square feet or larger. If a store owner does not comply, they’ll be inviting a fine of 3,750 Euros (about $4,200). France has recently seen an uptick in supermarket foraging, and the new law should have an immediate effect on food banks:

Until now French food banks received 100,000 tonnes of donated goods, 35,000 tonnes of which came from supermarkets. Even a 15% increase in food coming from supermarkets would mean 10m more meals being handed out each year, Bailet said.

Derambarsh is aiming to push the law across the continent, and to include French restaurants, bakeries, and school and office lunchrooms down the line.

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