French parliamentary deputies have voted unanimously to force supermarkets to give away unsold food that has reached its sell-by date.
Shops will also be banned from destroying food products, as they have in the past – sometimes by soaking them in bleach – to prevent distribution.
The proposal was passed as part of another law in May but was annulled by France’s constitutional court because of procedural faults. It was reintroduced on Wednesday and passed by the Assemblée Nationale.
Arash Derambarsh, a councillor who has campaigned for the law, said the next step was to persuade the European Commission to require member states to introduce similar legislation across the EU and, eventually, around the world.
“It means that ordinary citizens can show their solidarity and help distribute this food to those who need it,” said Mr Derambarsh.
An estimated 7.1m tonnes of food is binned in France each year – 67 per cent of it by consumers, 15 per cent by restaurants and 11 per cent by shops. The figure across the European Union is 89m tonnes, while an estimated 1.3bn tonnes are wasted worldwide.
– (Guardian service)