Bill to make it easier for companies to donate food to charities

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill aims to cut food waste: Spain throws away 7.7 million tons of food every year, and the goal is to send as much of it as possible to food banks and charities.
2. The main obstacle to donating is that companies fear civil liability if the food causes problems. To fix this, the bill would adopt the so-called 'Good Samaritan law', which Italy adopted in 2003 and which multiplied its food donations twelvefold in ten years.
3. The bill would add a provision to the Food Safety and Nutrition Law: nonprofit organizations that meet certain requirements would be treated as final consumers by food donors. This means the donor would not take on the duties of a food business operator, although the charity keeps those duties toward its beneficiaries.
4. If passed, the law would take effect the day after its publication in the Official State Gazette (Boletín Oficial del Estado).

Who it affects

• Companies and institutions that donate food: They would face less civil liability risk and fewer hygiene, date-labeling or packaging hurdles when donating.
• Nonprofit organizations (food banks, charities): They would be treated as final consumers by donors, but would keep their duties as food business operators toward their beneficiaries.
• Disadvantaged people and groups: They would receive more donated food through social organizations.

Words worth knowing

Responsabilidad civil (civil liability)

The duty to pay or answer for damage your actions cause to another person.

Ley del buen samaritano (Good Samaritan law)

A rule that protects good-faith food donors so they are not liable for possible harm, except in serious cases.

Consumidor final (final consumer)

A person who receives food for their own use, not to sell or distribute it.

Operador alimentario (food business operator)

A company or organization involved in the food chain: producing, processing, distributing or selling food.

Alimentos perecederos (perishable foods)

Foods that spoil quickly, such as fresh fruit, meat or fish.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries