EU Food Loss and Waste Prevention Hub

• Ministry of Agriculture
• Ministry of Environment

The Czech Republic is committed to reduce food waste both at retail and consumer levels by 2030 (Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3).

The Czech Republic has updated its national waste management plan, together with its waste prevention programme. The latter contains a section dedicated to food waste prevention, which includes:

• measures to support food donation (including research, innovation);
  
• the application of the food use hierarchy (the waste hierarchy, including the principles of the food use hierarchy, is set out in the Act No 185/2001 Coll., on waste);
  
• the dissemination of information and awareness programmes aimed at reducing food waste;
  
• the elaboration of educational materials on food waste prevention, as part of the environmental education, training and public awareness programme;
  
• an analysis of the current legislative framework to prevent food waste, in light of setting new requirements and objectives (including legislative requirements for valorisation of foodstuffs no longer fit for human consumption, optimising requirements for catering facilities and the use of food);
  
• an analysis of the possibilities to reduce the weight of food packaging;
  
• the development of a food waste measurement methodology (quantitative and qualitative) to gather data, set a baseline and monitor progress made;
• integration of food waste prevention in research programs; support for research and innovation programs in this field.

The Czech Republic is preparing a strategic framework for the transition towards circular economy Circular Czechia 2040, in which food waste prevention will also be featured. The Czech Republic plans to encourage consumers to consume food more responsibly and to support measures to reduce food waste and related food bank projects to reduce food waste.

There is a broad cooperation concerning food waste prevention at all levels of the public and the private sectors.  Over the past few years, there have been several meetings, round tables and conferences attended by representatives of food businesses, non-profit organizations and national authorities in order to promote cross-sectoral cooperation.

In the area of food redistribution, there is a legal obligation for food stores bigger than 400 m² to donate safe food that cannot be sold to charity organisations. Other food business operators (e.g. smaller retailers, food producers, farmers etc.) may voluntarily donate the food through food banks. The Ministry of Agriculture is providing financial support to food banks in the form of subsidies. The national investment plan 2020-2050 includes several projects to support the activities of food banks, such as operational support, the construction and renovation of storage facilities etc.

A new Czech Decree, which entered into force in 2023, now facilitates the donation of meals. It is allowed to cool or freeze hot dish within the time limit set for its serving. Surplus meals can be donated to organizations providing food for charitable purposes. 

The national waste prevention programme includes measures to support educational and awareness-raising activities regarding food waste. The Ministry of the Environment supports educational and awareness-raising initiatives in the area of waste prevention (including food waste) carried out by non-profit organizations.

Educational materials on food waste prevention have been developed as part of the state programe on environmental education and public awareness 2016-2025, and have been included into the school curricula. The programme also targets the non-profit sector, as well as lifelong education and training. It supports environmental programmes for educators and it defines methodologies to evaluate the current programmes.

Improving consumer understanding of date marking is a priority area for the Czech Republic, and several awareness activities have been organised in this regard, including the publication of guidance on food labelling for consumers and a training for food business operators on food labelling. The non-governmental organisation Zachran jidlo carried out an awareness-raising campaign focussing on date marking (2019).

The strategy of the Ministry of Agriculture for 2030 focusses on awareness-raising campaigns for the general public concerning agricultural production of food, food composition, food labelling, as well as the quality of food.

Support for research, experimental development and innovation in the field of food waste prevention is provided primarily through the Czech Technology Agency. The Ministry of Environment provides support for projects and technologies focused on the waste prevention through the Operational Programme Environment.