National Day Against Food Waste: our commitment to the right to foodBY Sen. Aurora Floridia
- 4 February 2025
- Posted by: Competere
- Categories: highlights, News, Sustainable Nutrition

February 5th, National Day Against Food Waste, invites us to reflect on an often underestimated issue. Many believe that food waste is merely the result of individual bad habits, but is that truly the case? In reality, wasted food represents one of the greatest contradictions of our time, with devastating impacts on the environment, the economy, and human rights.
A PARADOX TO FIGHT
On February 5th, during the National Day Against Food Waste, attention is drawn to an intolerable paradox that we can no longer ignore. We live in a world where millions of people suffer from hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition, while over 60 million tons of food are wasted annually across the entire supply chain within the European Union—equivalent to approximately 132 kg per person.
From agriculture to food processing, from large-scale distribution to our dining tables, the consequences of this waste affect not only human rights but also the environment. According to ISPRA, wasted food contributes to 3.3 billion tons of CO₂ emissions every year, accounting for 7% of global emissions. It is a vicious cycle intertwining abundance with misery, inequalities with climate crisis.
THE LAW THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
For this reason, in June 2024, I presented Senate Bill 1167, which complements and strengthens the 2016 Gadda Law, with the goal of reducing food waste by 50% by 2030. The bill introduces incentives for those who donate surplus food and tax credits for responsible businesses. This is not just a law against waste but a step toward a more equitable supply chain.
Reducing waste is also a crucial driver for ecological transition. Investing in innovative technologies, supporting regenerative agriculture, and promoting reuse and recycling practices are essential actions to preserve natural resources and reduce emissions. The bill proposes concrete measures, such as supporting the creation of sustainable, reusable, or easily recyclable packaging and funding research projects aimed at waste reduction. It also encourages the use of surplus food through recycling and reuse practices, fully aligned with the principles of the circular economy and the European waste hierarchy, which prioritizes prevention and reuse over disposal.
FOOD AS A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE
Addressing food waste, a serious social, economic, and ethical problem, also means recognizing that food is not merely a commercial product but a fundamental human right—one that is often absent from national constitutions. As Italy’s delegate to the Council of Europe, I had the honor of promoting a resolution emphasizing the importance of including the right to food in national legal frameworks, highlighting the risks of a system based primarily on a charitable approach. It is about advocating for a right that ensures all people have dignified access to healthy and environmentally sustainable food.
Change is possible and necessary. Together, we can build a future where food is no longer a symbol of waste or privilege, but a universally shared right.
Read Technologies against food waste: how we can save food and the planet>>>