Let’s talk about the new Food Waste Prevention Law

On March 20, 2025, Spain passed a new law on the prevention of food loss and waste, which will come into force on April 2, 2026. But how does this law affect the restaurant and food business? We explain it in the following post, along with the testimony of Alfonso Mas Castillo, partner at UMAMI Projects and expert in Hospitality and Restaurant Management.

Let’s start at the beginning. What is the purpose of this law?

The main objective of this law is to reduce food waste in Spain by 50% in households and retail, and by 20% in the production and supply phases by 2030, aligning this initiative with the 2030 Agenda and the Spanish Circular Economy Strategy 2030.

It covers all actors in the food chain: producers, industry, distributors, supermarkets, hotels, and restaurants. Micro-enterprises, traditional shops, and small establishments are exempt (companies with fewer than 10 employees or €2 million in annual turnover are exempt from the obligation).

What exactly does this mean for the companies affected?

This law entails a series of obligations, which we summarize below:

1. Have a plan in place to prevent food loss and waste, which includes an assessment of the stages or processes where most losses occur, and corrective actions to prevent or reduce them.
2. Comply with a hierarchy of priority uses for managing food surpluses: first, prevention; second, donation for human consumption (prioritizing NGOs and food banks); third, transformation into other products suitable for consumption (e.g., making breadcrumbs from stale bread); fourth, use of surpluses as animal feed or industrial by-products; and fifth and last, composting or derivatives as a last resort (biogas, energy recovery, etc.). In other words, this law prohibits the destruction of food without justification and without following this order of surplus management.
3. Facilitate the donation of surplus food suitable for human consumption through formal agreements or arrangements with recipient organizations. These donations must be consolidated and properly documented.
4. Offer free reusable or recyclable containers for customers to take home uneaten food. This includes bars, restaurants, cafes, catering services, etc.
5. Promote information, training, and awareness among both staff and consumers about good practices to prevent food waste and other useful information on the subject, such as measures to store food properly. Additionally, collaborate with public awareness campaigns.
6. Keep a record and traceability of unsold food, indicating the quantities and destination of these surpluses.

Next, we ask Alfonso Mas a few questions:

What do you think will be the biggest challenge for restaurants when implementing the Food Waste Prevention Plan?

The biggest challenge will be turning the plan into something operational and measurable, not just a decorative document. The hospitality industry will have to identify where product is lost, record quantities, and justify decisions… and do so in establishments with high staff turnover and little administrative time. The complicated part is not understanding the law: it’s organizing day-to-day operations to comply with it without slowing down the pace of business.

In your opinion, what existing best practices in the hospitality industry can serve as a reference for complying with this new law without increasing costs?

Many kitchens already do things that are fully aligned with the regulations:

• Adjusted mise en place and production according to actual forecasts.
• Detailed cost breakdowns to avoid excessive purchases.
• Strict FIFO rotation and expiration date controls (FEFO).
• Calibrated portions and simpler menu formats.
• Reuse: creams or sauté bases with “ugly” vegetables, irregular cuts for croquettes or ragouts, ripe fruit in vinaigrettes or jams, etc.

In short: what already works to control costs… also works to reduce waste.

What benefits can a restaurant business gain from adopting waste prevention measures, beyond the legal obligation?

The most immediate benefit is financial: less waste, fewer unnecessary purchases, and better inventory control.

But there is also a clear impact on:

• Brand image: more and more customers value real sustainability.
• Operational order: better-defined processes and less improvisation.
• Team motivation: when the reasons are understood, the kitchen and dining room staff work with more discernment.

Complying with the law is mandatory; gaining efficiency and reputation is the smart part.

Looking ahead to 2026, what steps would you recommend taking now so that businesses are prepared when the law comes into force?

I would recommend starting with four basic and very practical steps:

1. Conduct a small internal assessment: where is product being thrown away and why?
2. Record quantities for a month: there’s no need to complicate things; a control sheet will suffice. The important thing is to get used to measuring, because the law requires decisions to be justified. At this point, it is important to record the cause, as this allows trends to be detected and corrected.
3. Simplify processes: clearer menus, more accurate purchasing, more orderly logistics. In short, now is the time to eliminate “low turnover dishes” and adjust the production flow.
4. Train the team: if staff do not understand the law, there will be no real compliance.
5. Those who reach April 2026 with these four points in place will be able to relax a little more.

Anyone who reaches April 2026 with these four points advanced… will arrive more relaxed.