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Every year, billions of pounds of edible food are thrown away while millions go hungry. Two laws, one in California and one in France, are trying to close that gap.
In effect since January 2022, SB 1383 requires large food-generating businesses to donate the maximum edible food they'd otherwise dispose of, with a statewide goal of recovering 20% of edible food that would otherwise go to waste. Over 200,000 tons of unsold food were reportedly recovered in California in 2023 — though food banks report higher costs and logistical strain.
In effect since 2016, France's law requires large supermarkets to sign donation agreements with food aid organizations and bans them from destroying edible unsold food. It's narrower in scope than California's law, but donations reportedly increased 22%, delivering over 10 million extra meals a year.
Both laws shift legal responsibility onto businesses rather than relying on voluntary goodwill, and both reveal real friction — logistics, storage, food safety, and cost. Complementary efforts like 412 Food Rescue (Pittsburgh), the FarmLink Project, Sharing Excess, and apps like Too Good To Go show how grassroots and tech innovation are already working alongside policy. Meaningful progress can start with legislation — but it also takes systems, distribution, and accountability to actually get food to the people who need it.