The “Effective policy instruments and legislation” spearhead aims to create incentives and sanctions towards new solutions that often are not market-driven. Pressure and guidance from outside the food chain are needed in addition to the food chain’s initiatives so that even more radical solutions become profitable for operators and so that the solutions steer towards a change to significantly reduce food waste. The national food waste road map is also an important part of guidance. The current legislation focuses on waste and waste reduction. Provisions apply to food waste, which may lead to different interpretations and, therefore, uncertainty.

The means to reduce food waste are described in the table below. They will be supplemented and specified as the work progresses. According to operators in the sector, development needs to be specifically targeted at voluntary control measures and particularly at the material efficiency agreement and food waste road map. Voluntary measures are seen as quicker and more agile ways to reduce food waste compared to statutory obligations.

 

MEASURES OPERATORS AND IMPLEMENTATION
Food waste road map

  • The road map helps to identify key measures to reduce food waste and draw up plans for their implementation
  

  • The Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) maintains the road map
  • Operators in the sector are committed to updating and developing the road map
Material Efficiency Commitment

  • A voluntary model aimed to reduce the environmental impact of companies
  • The food sector has signed Finland’s first Material Efficiency Commitment for 2019–2021 (the Finnish Food and Drink Industries’ Federation (ETL), the Finnish Grocery Trade Association (PTY), the Finnish Packaging Association (SPY)).  Reducing food waste is one of the key goals.
  • Proposal: Expanding the Material Efficiency Commitment to food service companies and primary production
  • Motiva, PTY, ETL,
  • Operators in the food industry and trade
  • The food service sector and operators in primary production in the future
Commission Delegated Decision for the uniform measurement of levels of food waste

  • The decision obligates the member states to monitor the generation of food waste and to take measures to restrict it
  • Finland will implement the objectives of the decision through the food waste monitoring and road map project (2018–2020) coordinated and implemented by Luke and the food waste and waste monitoring project (2020–2021). Operators in the sector (PTY, ETL, the Finnish Hospitality Association (MaRa), and their member companies) and authorities (the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Employment and the Economy) are broadly involved.
  

  • Luke is building a national food waste monitoring system and acts as an expert authority responsible for monitoring food waste and edible food waste in Finland
  • Close cooperation with operators in the sector is required
The UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

  • The goal of the agenda is to halve the volume of food waste at retail, food service and household levels by 2030, as well as to significantly reduce food waste in food production and processing chains
  • The goal will be achieved through the national food waste road map (Luke’s food waste monitoring and road map project, and measures to be implemented based on it)
  • Operators in the sector need to commit to reducing food waste
  • National road map to reduce food waste – maintained by Luke
Current Government programme

  • The programme has set a goal to halve food waste by 2030. The preparation of a food waste road map has been defined as one of the measures. Luke is responsible for preparing the road map (by the end of 2020). The road map measures are implemented in cooperation with operators in the sector and the administration
  • Operators in the sector need to commit to reducing food waste
  • Luke maintains the national food waste road map
Amendment to the Waste Act (2011/646)

  • As a result of the amendment, a section (118 a) will be added to the Waste Act, according to which food sector operators referred to in the Food Act have an accounting obligation.
  • Accounting concerns the volume of food waste generated, an estimate of the volume of edible food waste removed from use and the processing method.
  • Operators in the sector
  • Luke acts as the expert authority responsible for monitoring food waste and edible food waste
Service agreements

  • Municipal agreements on food services with service providers: food waste is taken into account when entering into agreements, and encouragement towards the measurement and monitoring of food waste is given
  • Municipalities
Organisation of food aid activities

  • Promoting national networking and local development.
  • Ruoka-apu.fi information sharing channel established – future development of activities.