Doggy bag plan to cut food waste

FRENCH restaurants have been asked to offer a doggy bag since the start of the year under new obligations to cut food waste.

The practice of taking unfinished food home with you after a meal out is extremely uncommon in France.

A poll by LCL found just 1% of the country asked for a doggy bag as the practice was held in poor esteem by the French.

Since January 1, restaurants which serve more than 180 meals a day have been asked to supply one to customers who have asked for it.

The proposal was put forward by the hotel and restaurant union UMIH which said it would help the sector meet its commitments to reduce food waste.

However some restaurants have decided to take the law a step further and offer a bag to all clients, to demonstrate how it works to cut waste.

Some are creating special designer bags to shift attitudes that taking food home is something to hide.

Hoteliers’ and restaurateurs’ federation UMIH has been trying to introduce a new term “le gourmet bag” to improve the doggy bag’s image.

The catering industry is responsible for 14% of the seven million tonnes of food wasted each year - nearly one million tonnes.

The government wants to reduce total food waste by 50% by 2025.

A law to make supermarkets direct their food waste to humanitarian causes or convert it to compost is also due to come into force this year.

This article was modified on January 8 to reflect clarifications issued by the UMIH union that doggy bags were their proposal to help cut waste and were not specified in law.

See also: New food law to stop waste

Photo:Flickr/Magnus D