Germany is facing increasing pressure to take stronger action against food waste, with an estimated 11 million tonnes discarded annually. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is advocating for a range of measures, including revisiting legislation surrounding the practice of “containering” – retrieving discarded food from refuse containers.
Esra Limbacher, Deputy Chair of the SPD parliamentary group, emphasized the disconnect between concerns about food security and the scale of current waste in an interview with the “Rheinische Post”. She stated that the current system incentivizes disposal over donation for supermarkets.
The call for increased action coincides with the start of a national awareness week, “Too Good for the Bin” designed to highlight the issue of food waste.
Limbacher further argued that the criminalization of “containering” is outdated and urged a renewed effort to legalize the practice. The politician believes that recovering and utilizing discarded food represents a valuable contribution to both resource conservation and social equity. The SPD’s proposals aim to reshape the current approach to food management and address a significant environmental and social challenge within the country.
