Brussels' biggest supermarkets to be required to donate unsold food

Starting in 2024, supermarkets in Brussels with a surface area of more than 1,000m² will have to donate their unsold food to charity, the Brussels minister for social action Alain Maron has just announced.

"When we know that 70,000 people need food aid in Brussels alone, it is not acceptable that we still throw away tonnes of edible food,” Maron said.

According to Maron, the average supermarket in Brussels donates a little more than a tonne of edible food every month.

The participating supermarkets will each be linked to a beneficiary organisation, to ensure a smooth collection and distribution process.

While non-profit associations, such as food banks, will have priority, companies that reuse or re-sell unsold food from supermarkets will still be able to access supermarkets’ surplus inventory.

As part of its effort to become more climate-friendly, Europe aims to reduce overall food waste by 30% by 2030.