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The European Parliament has formally adopted new legislation to significantly cut down on food and textile waste across all member states by the end of 2030. These rules impose binding targets, reshape producer responsibilities, and aim to shift both consumer behaviour and industry practices toward greater sustainability.
Below are the key features of the lesiglation
- Food waste targets: EU nations must achieve a 10% reduction in food waste from processing and manufacturing, and a 30% per capita cut from retail, restaurants, food services and households. The baseline will be the average annual waste figures from 2021‑2023.
- Food donation rules: Businesses identified as major contributors to food waste will be required to facilitate the donation of unsold food, as long as it’s safe for human consumption.
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles: Producers selling textile products within the EU—whether they are inside or outside the Union—must cover the costs of collecting, sorting and recycling textile waste. Member states will need to set up EPR schemes within 30 months of the law coming fully into force. Small micro‑enterprises are given one extra year to comply.
- Scope of textile waste: The rules apply to clothing, footwear, hats, accessories, home linens (bed, kitchen), curtains, and blankets. Countries may opt to include mattress producers as well.
- Fast‑fashion accountability: Member states are encouraged to consider ultra‑fast and fast fashion in setting the financial contributions under EPR schemes, reflecting concern over rapid turnover of low‑quality garments.
Once signed and published in the EU Official Journal, member states have 20 months to transpose the rules into national law. Small businesses (micro‑enterprises) are granted an additional year for the textile collection/sorting obligations.
The scale of waste in the EU is substantial: each person produces about 132 kg of food waste and 12 kg of textile waste annually. Textile waste alone amounts to over 12 million tonnes per year. Less than 1% of textiles globally find their way back into new products.
These rules represent a major push toward circular economy goals, reducing environmental impacts, and promoting reuse and recycling. They also realign financial responsibilities to producers, while pushing for systemic changes in how governments, businesses, and consumers manage food and clothing resources.
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