GERMANY

GERMANY – SUMMARY OF POLICIES AND LEGISLATION FOR FOOD WASTE PREVENTION AND REDUCTION

Food waste policies in Germany may differ from region to region. Reported laws do not refer to fishing policies and exclude the first segments of the food supply chain. While Germany promotes the separate collection of bio-waste, its enforcement may need to be increased.

Germany does not have a specific national plan on food waste. The current policy document in force is the Abfallvermeidungsprogramm des Bundes unter Beteiligung der Länder (Waste prevention programme of the Federal Government with the participation of the Federal States). It includes measures and instruments targeted at the prevention of waste in Germany, including food waste. Within the programme, it is suggested that the industry could create a voluntary agreement on food waste reduction.

Germany has a number of regulations for the prevention, recycling and disposal of waste in general, partly addressing the food waste issue.

Figure 1.  Germany’s policy mix at December 2014
 

Voluntary agreements exist between the retail sector and the gastronomy sector for the prevention and reduction of food waste although they have not yet been implemented. There are also voluntary agreements between the German Food Bank (Deutsche Tafel) and the wholesale and retail sector regarding foodstuffs donation close to the best-before date.

Germany launches many communication campaigns which can bedivided into governmental and private campaigns (launched by universities, NGOs, activists). In particular, a German speaking network on food waste prevention, whose aim is to bring together various stakeholders from research and consumer protection fields to conduct and inform about research on topics related to food waste has been established.

Foodsharing is an internet platform that facilitates food sharingrather than wasting it. Shared food includes surplus food from households as well as food recovered from supermarkets or directly from farmers.

The German Hotel and Catering Association has launched a Checklist on food waste reduction that raises awareness on food waste and gives recommendations on food waste reduction.

As for education programmes, the University of Paderborn and the Consumer Advice Center North-Rhine/Westphalia on behalf of the Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Consumer Protection of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia have launched a Module appraisal and wasting of food suggesting how to incorporate food waste into school.

Download the full country report and send us your comments.

REFERENCES

A) GERMANY’S NATIONAL PLAN/STRATEGY ON FOOD WASTE REDUCTION
Abfallvermeidungsprogramm des Bundes unter Beteiligung der Länder (Waste prevention programme of the Federal Government with the participation of the Federal States) 2013 (in German)
Available from:
http://www.bmub.bund.de/fileadmin/Daten_BMU/Pools/Broschueren/abfallvermeidung_2013_bf.pdf

B) MARKET-BASED INSTRUMENTS
Renewable Energy Sources Act (in German)
Available from: http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bundesrecht/eeg_2014/gesamt.pdf

C) REGULATORY INSTRUMENTS/ REGULATIONS TRADING SCHEMES
Verpflegungsordnung für die Justizvollzugsanstalten des Landes Brandenburg  Rundverfügung der Ministerin der Justiz  Vom 16. April 2007 (JMBl. S. 70), geändert durch Rundverfügung Vom 11. März 2011 (JMBl. S. 22), (4540 - IV.3)
(Catering rules for the correctional facilities of the federal state of Brandenburg, administrative circular from 16 April 2007 amended by the administrative circular from 11 March 2011)
Available from: http://www.bravors.brandenburg.de/sixcms/media.php/15/JMBl_05_2014.pdf

Verpflegungsordnung (VerpfO) für die Justizvollzugsanstalten des Landes Baden-Württemberg. VwV d. JmU vom 16. Dezember 2004 (4540/0698) (Catering rules for the correctional facilities of the federal state of Baden Württemberg from 16 December 2004)
Available from: http://www.gesetzesguide.de/verpflo.html

Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz (KrWG) (Closed Substance Cycle Waste Management Act)
Available from: http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bundesrecht/krwg/gesamt.pdf

Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz - Gesetz zum Schutz vor schädlichen Umwelteinwirkungen durch Luftverunreinigungen, Geräusche, Erschütterungen und ähnliche Vorgänge (Federal Pollution Controll Act - Act on the prevention of harmful effects on the environment caused by air pollution, noise, vibration and similar phenomena) (§ 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 BImSchG)
Available from: http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bimschg

D) VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS
None

E) RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL REPORTS
Kranert M., Hafner G., Barabosz J., Schneider F., Lebersorger S., Scherhaufer S., Schuller H., Leverenz D. (2012), Ermittlung der weggeworfenen Lebensmittelmengen und Vorschläge zur Verminderung der Wegwerfrate bei Lebensmitteln in Deutschland (Determination of the amount of food thrown away and recommendations on reducing food waste in Germany) (in German).
Available from:
Downloads/Ernaehrung/WvL/Studie_Lebensmittelabfaelle_Langfassung.pdf?__blob=publicationFile

Hafner G., Barabosz J., Leverenz D., Maurer C., Kranert M., Göbel C., Friedrich S., Ritter G., Teitscheid P., Wetter C. (2013), Analyse, Bewertung und Optimierung von Systemen zur Lebensmittelbewirtschaftung – Teil I (Analysis, Evaluation and Optimazation of Food Management) Müll und Abfall 11/2013 (in German).
Available from:
http://www.muellundabfall.de/ce/analyse-bewertung-und-optimierung-von-systemen-zur-lebensmittelbewirtschaftung-teil-i/detail.html

Priefer, C. & Jörissen, J. (2012),Frisch auf den Müll. Verringerung der Lebensmittelverluste als Ansatz zur Verbesserung der Welternährungssituation. (Thrown away fresh. Reduction of food losses as an approach to improve the world food supply), Karlsruhe: ITAS Pre-Print: 22.11.2012 (in German).
Available from: http://www.itas.kit.edu/pub/v/2012/epp/prjo12-pre01.pdf

F) COMMUNICATION AND CAMPAIGNS
Zu gut für die Tonne (Too good for the dustbin) (in German)
Available from: http://www.zugutfuerdietonne.de

EssensWert (German speaking network on food waste prevention) (in German)
Available from: http://www.essens-wert.net

Teller statt Tonne (Plate instead of dustbin) (in German)
Available from: https://www.slowfood.de/projekte_und_aktionen/teller_statt_tonne

Deutsche Tafeln (German food bank)
Available from: http://www.tafel.de

Foodsharing
Available from: http://www.foodsharing.de

G) PROJECTS AND OTHER MEASURES
Checkliste zur Vermeidung von Lebensmittelabfällen (Checklist on food waste reduction) (in German)
Available from: Downloads/Ernaehrung/WvL/Checkliste_DEHOGA_Lebensmittelabfaelle.pdf?__blob=publicationFile

Modul Wertschätzung und Verschwendung von Lebensmitteln (Module appraisal and wasting of food) (in German)
Available from:
http://www.ernaehrung-und-verbraucherbildung.de/schule_materialien_wertschaetzung_uebersicht.php

All links cited in the references have been accessed for the last time on October 27, 2015.