Food donation sub-group

About the sub-group

The main focus of food waste prevention should be to act at the source by limiting the generation of surplus food at each stage of the food supply chain. When surplus food occurs, the best option – and in line with the food use and waste hierarchy – is redistribution for human consumption, in particular through food donation, where safe to do so. This ensures the highest value use of edible food resources while preventing food waste. Besides the economic and environmental gains, redistribution of surplus food to people in need also has an important social dimension.

The Food donation sub-group supports Platform members in sharing best practices, information and learning related to the recovery and redistribution of surplus food. The sub-group supports also the work of the Commission and Platform members to facilitate safe food donation practices, ensuring that surplus food arising in the food supply chain is made available, as a priority, for human consumption.

In the Platforms’ second mandate (2022-2026), the sub-group on food donation supported the Commission in the preparation of EU food donation guidelines (adopted in 2017 as part of the 2015 Circular Economy Action Plan) and contributed to the implementation of an EU Pilot Project on food redistribution and its related deliverables.

In the Platform's mandate (2022-2026), the sub-group is amongst others looking into barriers and opportunities for food redistribution across the EU.

More information about the background and tasks of this sub-group can be found in its Terms of reference:

• Mandate: Food donation sub-group

The full list of the subgroup members can be consulted page (under the section "Members")

Meetings 2025

16 December

• Agenda
• Summary Report
• Presentation - Food donation from wholesale markets – best practises from various cities, presentation by Mercabana
• Presentation - Joao Tiago Carapau and Beatriz Catarino from SIMAB, Portuguese Markets Association
• Presentation - Collaboration between cities and food banks to facilitate food donation – presentation by Milan Urban Food Policy Pact and exchange with members
• Presentation - Global Food Donation Policy Atlas – joint presentation by Harvard University and European Food Ban
• Presentation - European Social Funds Plus – update by DG EMPL
• Presentation - European Social Funds Plus – a case study presentation by Lithuania

5 June

• Agenda
• Summary Report
• Presentation by Germany on a proposal to introduce a definition of ‘charitable food business operator’ in the General Food Law Regulation
• Presentation - Discussion on recommendations to tackle barriers for redistribution of surplus food in the EU (Labelling, excl. date marking) by FEBA
• Presentaton - Discussion on recommendations to tackle barriers for redistribution of surplus food in the EU (Hygiene – freezing of meat) by Foodcloud

Previous Meetings