The large-scale retail chains Carrefour and Leclerc have been awarded the national food waste label, the French government’s newly launched scheme to recognise exemplary operators. (1)
The recipe for success for these two French retail giants is a mix of initiatives aimed at giving food previously destined for the bin a second chance at consumption. A key ingredient is the French government’s leadership, which follows up its announcements with action.
A national label against food waste
In 2020 alone, it is estimated that 9 million tonnes of food were wasted across the food supply chain in France (across the EU as a whole, the figure is around 57 million tonnes). (2) This is an immoral waste, as well as being unsustainable for the environment, given the squandering of the resources used to produce that food.
To combat this phenomenon, in 2020, with the AGEC law (Loi Anti-gaspillage pour une économie circulaire), France set out to halve food waste (by 2025 in distribution and collective catering, and by 2030 for the remaining sectors).
To distinguish between operators, the law provided for the introduction of an official label (label national anti-gaspillage alimentaire), issued following an audit by third-party bodies and divided into three levels, identified by three stars:
1 star – commitment
2 stars – mastery
3 stars – exemplary.
Carrefour and Leclerc, 3-star champions
The first two French large-scale retailers to be awarded the national anti-food waste label have achieved top marks. Excellence in combating food waste has been achieved through the widespread adoption of upcycling surplus food:
– donations to charities,
– setting up dedicated areas in stores for products nearing their expiry date or “ugly” offered at heavily discounted prices,
– improved in-store shelf management,
– a partnership with the Too Good To Go app to sell surplus stock at reduced prices (we discussed this here).
Carrefour, the first of the two to receive the award on 17 March for its supermarket in Montesson (15 km from Paris), boasts the adoption of an in-house application that facilitates the transfer of products nearing their expiry date from the shelves to promotional areas. A solution that has reduced waste by 8%.
Both operators received the award with a special mention. A detail that entitles them to benefit from state-backed communication campaigns.
Next step: catering
The roll-out of the national food waste label continues. A benchmark for the catering and commercial food service sector is due to be developed in the first half of 2023. The rest of the agri-food sector will follow.
The ‘wasteless’ goal has been set. And agri-food operators seem to be on the same page. At least across the Alps.
Marta Strinati
Notes
(1) National food waste label. Ministry for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion. 29.3.23 https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/label-national-anti-gaspillage-alimentaire
(2) Dario Dongo, Upcycling, the high road of research and innovation. FT (Food Times). 1 January 2023 https://www.foodtimes.eu/planet/upcycling-the-high-road-of-research-and-innovation/
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
