If you haven't heard about the anti-waste law for a circular economy (or AGEC law), there's still time to get up to speed! In this article, we'll look at why this law was passed and what measures apply specifically to you, the restaurant owner.
What is the circular economy?
A small vocabulary point is necessary to understand the context of this law, with this official definition:
"The circular economy is about producing goods and services in a sustainable way by limiting the consumption and waste of resources and the production of waste. It is about moving from a throwaway society to a more circular economic model."
To go further: website of the Ministry of Ecological Transition
AGEC Act: Why an anti-waste law?
The objective of the AGEC law is to change production and consumption patterns in order to reduce waste and move towards a more sustainable model of society. In other words, it is about transforming the current system to eventually eliminate all forms of waste.
Passed in February 2020, the AGEC Act has a broader goal of stopping climate disruption.
To achieve this ambitious goal, the law is divided into 5 main areas:
- Get out of disposable plastic,
- Better inform consumers,
- Fighting against waste and for solidarity reuse,
- Act against programmed obsolescence,
- Produce better.
In this article, we will summarize and explain together the axes 1, 2 and 3, which are directly related to the restoration.
Key dates of the anti-waste law
January 1, 2023: All fast food restaurants must use reusable dishes for food and beverages served on site.
January 1, 2025: all restaurants must recycle 100% of their single-use plastic packaging.
By the end of 2025: 20% reduction of all single-use plastic packaging, of which at least half is achieved through reuse and recycling.
The 3 axes of the anti-waste law that concern restaurant owners
1. Move away from disposable plastic by 2040
Since January 1, 2022, some measures have already come into effect:
- The end of plastic tea bags,
- The end of expanded polystyrene packaging in the fast food industry,
- The banning of the word "biodegradable" on certain products and packaging, as it is misleading,
- The banning of plastic toys on certain menus.
As of January 1, 2023, all the actors of the restoration, and in particular the actors of the fast restoration, will have to use reusable crockery: cutlery, cups, plates, containers, lids...
And to go further, why not introduce a deposit system or promote bulk on certain products in your restaurant?
For example, offer a discount to customers who bring their own containers. Not only are you part of a real trend, but you are also encouraging your customers to come and eat at your place!
2. Keep your customers (and your team) more informed
By the end of 2022, waste sorting will be simplified with a clearer logo on all products, which until now has often been misunderstood or misinterpreted. Thus, the customers of your restaurant, especially if you are a fast food establishment, will be better informed and guided in their choice.
But customers are not the only ones concerned, your restaurant staff must also understand the packaging logos in order to make the right choices when sorting. Speaking of sorting, there is also a lot of confusion about waste garbage cans. The anti-waste law has understood this, and just like for the logo of the products, it works to harmonize the color of the garbage cans.
The goal is to make waste sorting as easy as possible.
Many people, including restaurant staff, are not aware of how the garbage cans work. Find out and communicate to your staff about pick-up times, access to the dump, sorting rules, and any other important information.
3. Promote reuse and fight against waste
Don't print your receipts systematically anymore
Most people throw away their receipts. Stop systematically printing receipts so that they don't end up in the trash, but also save paper and therefore money for your restaurant.
Moreover, its systematic printing will soon be prohibited in France (from January 1st 2023). It is therefore important that your establishment anticipates this measure and switches to the dematerialization of sales receipts without delay.
Finally, why not limit the printing of your order forms by replacing them with digital order forms? In addition to saving on rolls, you will also save yourself all the constraints that paper purchase orders entail (mess in the kitchen, lost or illegible tickets, etc.).
To go further: Purchase orders: paper or digital?
Add value to your unsold goods
To stop food waste, it's also to valorize its unsold products. And there are simple solutions for your restaurant. For example, more and more applications and websites have been created to help food distributors reduce waste.
These include:
- Too good to go, which allows restaurant owners to sell soon-to-be-expired products at a reduced rate so that they no longer end up in the trash,
- Phenix, which revives products destined for the trash can,
- Comerso, which supports the logistics of the donation,
- or OptiMiam, the pioneer of anti-waste.
Perhaps you also know Linkee? This association fighting against food waste proposes a direct help by moving itself to recover the food surplus. They then distribute them to people in need, through associations.
Less waste and a nice gesture of solidarity that costs nothing!
Finally, to avoid throwing away your unsold food, Res-and-co is a comparator allowing you to offer, at a reduced price, surprise menus for your guests. They just have to come on site, get their dish and pay directly. Not only does this allow you to waste less, but also to avoid losing money, to gain notoriety and to improve the image of your establishment.
To go further: 8 tips for reducing food waste in restaurants
