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Food, Farming, Fisheries
Food Safety

EU food waste: relevant legislation

Food waste reduction targets
The 2025 amendment of the Waste Framework Directive introduced binding food waste reduction targets for Member States to achieve by 2030.
Food waste measurements
To ensure that national efforts against food waste are informed by a solid evidence base and support sharing of innovation and best practice, the EU has established a common EU methodology and minimum quality requirements for the uniform measurement of levels of food waste.

Waste Framework Directive

Actions to prevent food waste are mostly covered by environmental legislation – namely the Waste Framework Directive. Among others, the Waste Framework Directive requires Member States to reduce food waste at each stage of the food supply chain, monitor food waste levels and report food waste data to the Commission. Moreover, it lays down obligations for Member States to:

  • prepare food waste prevention programmes (specific and/or as a part of general waste prevention programmes);
  • encourage food donation and other redistribution for human consumption, prioritising human use over animal feed and the reprocessing into non-food products as part of measures taken to prevent waste generation; and
  • provide incentives for the application of the waste hierarchy, such as encouraging waste prevention measures over waste management measures (Articles 4 and 9 of the Waste Framework Directive).

In order to accelerate the EU's progress towards Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3, the Waste Framework Directive was amended in 2025 to introduce binding food waste reduction targets to be achieved by Member States at national level by 2030. Moreover, it lays down obligations for Member States to:

  • evaluate and adapt their food waste prevention programmes;
  • designate competent authorities responsible for the coordination of measures to prevent food waste;
  • take appropriate food waste prevention measures to prevent the generation of food waste along the entire food supply chain, in primary production, in processing and manufacturing, in retail and other distribution of food, in restaurants and food services as well as in households.

The 2025 revised Waste Framework Directive

Other EU relevant legislation

Depending on the specific actions taken to prevent food waste, various legislation may apply depending on the products at hand and the specific circumstances.

Legislation concerning animal by-products and feed may also be also relevant, particularly when food no longer intended for human consumption is used for feed purposes.

In the context of donation and redistribution of surplus food but also side streams from food production (e.g. transforming brewer’s grains into flour), several regulations may be involved, including the General Food Law Regulation, the Food Hygiene Regulations, and the Food Information to Consumers Regulation.

Given the significant potential of food waste reduction to contribute to climate change mitigation, Member States can incorporate their food waste prevention measures into their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs).

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) incorporates a number of measures aimed at reducing food loss and waste within the EU. These measures include CAP Strategic Plans, marketing standards for fruit and vegetables, school schemes, and crisis management measures such as market withdrawal mechanisms.

Additionally, the European Social Funds Plus program supports efforts to address material deprivation, including costs related to food donation activities.