NETHERLANDS

THE NETHERLANDS - SUMMARY OF POLICIES AND LEGISLATION FOR FOOD WASTE PREVENTION AND REDUCTION

The Dutch government's overall goal for its food waste policy-mix is to firstly reduce the amount of food by at least 20% by 2015. For this purpose, the Dutch ministry Economics and Agriculture uses several policy instruments such as initiating subsidies directed to public private partnership to reduce food waste as well as funding projects directly to food waste reduction activities (e.g. research activities, fact sheets, food waste monitor).

Figure 1. The Netherlands’s Policy Mix at December 2014

Furthermore, the Ministry is actively involved in raising awareness campaigns such as "The purpose of food is to eat it" and "Food battle". A priority is set on food waste reduction by bringing clarity on waste-related data, examining "best before" labels, supporting innovations to reduce food waste, and providing financial support to FAO for worldwide awareness-raising campaign.

Next to governmental initiatives, the self-regulated policy instruments (such as voluntary initiatives) in the Netherlands are also in place thanks to its active private sector in food waste initiatives.

Regarding legislation concerning food waste management and legislation potentially implying food waste, the following are relevant:

EU regulations are the backbone of the national legislations. Some regulations are more strictly implemented by either the public authorities or private parties.
The Plant Diseases Act, the Decision on the Suppression of Harmful Organisms Regulation and the Regulation on the import and movement of plants are the only specific national regulations. The laws actively addressing food waste reduction are missing, but the government provides guidelines to deal with ‘rejected’ food products.
Legislation does not exist on food use optimisation although policies are intended to support the best use of food.

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REFERENCES

A) THE NETHERLANDS’ S NATIONAL PLAN/STRATEGY ON FOOD WASTE REDUCTION
Sustainable Food - Towards sustainable production and consumption of food
Available from: www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten-en-publicaties/notas/2009/07/29/policy-document-on-sustainable-food.html
Available from: http://no-opportunity-wasted.com/images/document/445.pdf

B) MARKET-BASED INSTRUMENTS
SBIR-verminderen-voedselverspilling (Small Business Innovation Research specific to reduce food waste) (in Dutch)
Available from: http://www.rvo.nl/subsidies-regelingen/sbir-verminderen-voedselverspilling

MIT-regeling-topsector-agri-en-food (Subsidies for industries to cooperate with research institutions in the Netherlands) (in Dutch)
Available from: http://www.rvo.nl/subsidies-regelingen/mit-regeling-topsector-agri-en-food

Tax on landfill (in Dutch)
Available from: https://www.ondernemersplein.nl/belasting/afvalstoffenbelasting
Available from: http://www.en.nvc.nl/news/item/nl-afvalstoffenbelasting-weer-ingevoerd-per-1-april-2014/
Available from: http://scp.eionet.europa.eu/publications/WP2012_1/wp/WP2012_1

C) REGULATORY SCHEMES/REGULATIONS TRADING SCHEMES
None

D) VOLUNTARY AGREEMENT
The Alliance for a Sustainable Food (business sector) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs (representing the public sector) have a common agenda for making the food chain more sustainable and reduce food waste.
Available from: http://no-opportunity-wasted.com/images/document/447.pdf

The No Waste Network
Available from: http://www.nowastenetwork.nl/en/

E) RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL REPORTS
Milieu central and Voedings centrum. (2013) Factsheet on food waste by consumers 2013 (Feiten en cijfers verspilling voedsel consumenten in 2013). (in Dutch)
Available from: http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/voeding/documenten-en-publicaties/brochures/2014/01/29/feiten-en-cijfers-verspilling-voedsel-consumenten-in-2013.html

Soethoudt, H., Timmermans, T. (2013) Monitor Voedselverspilling (Food Waste Monitor). Food & Biobased Research – Wageningen UR. Report number: 1372. (in Dutch)
Available from: http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/voeding/documenten-en-publicaties/kamerstukken/2013/05/21/brief-aan-de-tweede-kamer-monitor-voedselverspilling-in-nederland.html

Van Westerhoven, M., (2013) Bepaling voedselverliezen in huishoudelijk afval in Nederland. Vervolgmeting 2013 (Determination of food waste in household waste in the Netherlands. Follow-up measurement 2013). CREM. Report number: H13. (in Dutch)
Available from: http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/voeding/documenten-en-publicaties/rapporten/2014/01/13/bepaling-voedselverliezen-in-huishoudelijk-afval-in-nederland-vervolgmeting-2013.html

F) COMMUNICATION AND CAMPAIGNS
Eten is om op te eten (The purpose of food is to eat it). (in Dutch)
Available from: http://www.voedingscentrum.nl/nl/mijn-boodschappen/minder-verspillen.aspx
Available from: http://www.milieucentraal.nl/campagnes/etenisomopteeten

Food Battle (in Dutch)
Available from: voeding/documentenenpublicaties/rapporten/2013/04/11/foodbattle.html
Available from: http://www.voedingscentrum.nl/foodbattle

G) PROJECTS AND OTHER MEASURES
Improved packages for fruits and vegetables and the respiration measurement by PerfoTec.
Available from: http://perfotec.com/

Food waste, the value of the food in the chain

Kromkommer (in Dutch)
Available from: http://www.kromkommer.com

Discount app (in Dutch)
Available from: http://www.retailnews.nl/rubrieken/emRoal20EeSs4iIAClQRyw-11/app-wijst-op-producten-met-naderende-tht-datum-.html

Toolbox - Reducing food waste in the catering (in Dutch)
Available from: http://www.nowastenetwork.nl/catering/news-vanuit-de-catering/

COOP: Save and keep (Sparen en Bewaren)

From wasted food to health product (in Dutch)
Available from: http://www.nowastenetwork.nl/boerenentuinders/van-verspild-voedsel-naar-gezondheidsproduct/

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