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Italy is set to become the second European country to pass a law that will force supermarkets to donate food instead of letting it go to waste.
The move comes after the French government passed a law back in February that fines businesses of a certain size if they don’t donate food to charities that would normally be wasted.
In Italy, the move would actually offer businesses incentives to tackle the food waste problem which the Independent reports hits around €12bn a year.
The law in Italy will basically offer business a reduction in their rubbish tax is they choose to donate waste food to charity. The bill, which is expected to pass today, will also change food safety laws which will allow businesses to donate food that is after its best before date.
Speaking to La Repubblica, Italy's Agriculture Minister, Maurizio Martina, said: "We currently recover 550 million tonnes of excess food each year but we want to arrive at one billion in 2016."
Other countries in Europe are also starting to look at the massive problem of food waste. A UK food waste Bill has been introduced to the UK Government and many supermarkets are starting to reduce the bill.
No one knows if the Italian law of reducing rubbish tax for business that give away food waste will encourage enough businesses to donate but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.
