Earlier this year, the Spanish government decided to take a more active role in food waste reduction. It enacted a food waste prevention law that introduces mandatory measures across the entire food supply chain, from farms to restaurants and food retailers.
The law establishes a clear hierarchy of measures: preventing food surplus, donating it for human consumption, using it as animal feed, and, lastly, using it for compost or energy recovery.
Requirements are modulated based on business size. Large operators over 1,300m² of total surface (for multi-restaurant operators, this is calculated across all locations) must develop food waste prevention plans and establish formal agreements to donate surplus food to social organizations and food banks. Medium-sized businesses under this threshold are exempt from formal plans and agreements, but must still follow the waste hierarchy, while microenterprises (with fewer than 10 employees and no more than €2m turnover) are exempt from the above requirements.
The one requirement that applies to all hospitality operators, regardless of size, is that they cannot refuse customers’ requests to take home uneaten food and must inform diners of this option, preferably on the menu itself.
According to Óscar Pastor FCSI, owner of foodservice consultancy Oh My Business, and chair of FCSI Iberia, this size-based approach that minimizes requirements for smaller operations is the correct one. “Although small restaurants are the majority by number, it’s large chains that have the greater impact, due to the sheer volume of food they handle,” he explains.
In those cases, Pastor believes implementation will take time: “Having signed agreements with social entities, adjusting operational logistics protocols, properly registering surpluses – all that cannot be resolved with a generic checklist – but in hospitality, we’re used to HACCP processes with daily data records, inventories, purchasing analysis, so it’s not very different from what a healthy business should already be doing.”
Independent restaurants stand to benefit, even if they’re not legally required to act, Pastor believes: “Almost everyone we’re talking to thinks they’ll be subject to all requirements. A lot of our work right now is to reassure them they most likely won’t be. Still, we encourage smaller operators to go beyond what the law says, because what is not required today may well be in the future, as more European sustainability regulations are coming to the hospitality sector.”
The law mentions several voluntary measures for small operators, such as flexible portion sizes, consumer awareness campaigns, staff training, and technology to measure food waste. For Pastor, these options represent a real business opportunity. “As the consumer mindset of being more sustainable and environmentally conscious keeps growing, these practices will mark the difference between businesses with the right mentality and everyone else.”
Spain is not the first country to enact food waste legislation. Italy, Greece and France already have laws, while other EU countries have initiatives covering different parts of the supply chain, with varying focus on voluntary measures and requirements.
What explains this variety is the lack of an EU regulation around food waste. Rather, the bloc established binding reduction targets in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 12.3 (halving food waste by 2030, which has become the universal reference), giving each country the flexibility to decide how to achieve them.
However, Spain’s framework is the most advanced to date. “Implementation will present several challenges, especially in a sector like hospitality where margins are always very tight. But overall, this is a law that promotes efficiency and responsibility throughout the entire food supply chain,” says Pastor.
Different factors, different solutions
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to food waste reduction. The problem is a complex one, with many possible solutions that can vary between countries, depending on different factors. This becomes even more evident when looking at the Middle East: “The approach to food waste reduction can be very different between Gulf countries such as UAE and Saudi Arabia, and Mediterranean countries including Egypt or Morocco. GCC countries have higher GDP and smaller populations, so they can invest more in advanced food waste initiatives,” says Mohamed Karam, business development manager for InSinkErator and FCSI committee member for sustainability solutions.
One example is UAE’s ne’ma, the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative supported by the UAE Restaurant Group and Dubai Hotel Group, working to build a national benchmark and provide restaurants with tools to reach 50% food waste reduction by 2030.
Climate is another factor, Karam says: “Food waste in UAE or Saudi mainly occurs further down in the supply chain. Agriculture is very difficult because of the temperature, so most food is imported, while internal production comes from vertical farms and greenhouses. In Morocco and Egypt, you have four seasons and rich soil, and agriculture is very productive. Most food waste happens during irrigation, cultivation, and transport.”
Finally, cultural differences also play a role. With an estimated 132 kg per person per year, the EU produces more food waste than the Middle East. During Ramadan, however, there’s a significant spike: “During the 30 days of Ramadan, food waste reaches up to five kg per person. The goal of reducing food intake should be to clean our body and soul. However, now people use it as an opportunity to feast – they’re hungry all day and then expect to eat a lot of food, which is not really possible. You see five-star hotels prepare big buffets with seven-course menus and a lot of that goes to waste,” says Karam.
Approaches vary by region, but the business case for action is universal. Pastor notes that consultants will be key – to carry out internal food waste audits to identify critical points, such as excess purchases, poor storage, product rotation errors, or incorrect portioning. “There are studies indicating potential yearly savings of €3,000 just by adjusting purchasing surpluses. This pushes us to continue developing purchasing expertise, a strategy much of the industry has advanced on, while others are still struggling to find the right talent.”
Andrea Tolu
