Written by: Juan David
Edited by: Louis Chenot
Quebec has a big challenge with food waste. In 2024, the province produced more than 3 million tonnes of food waste, about 1 kilogram per person daily. This equals 41% of the food produced (Recyc-Québec, 2024). We are talking about almost half of your supermarket groceries going straight to the garbage. To develop a more sustainable food management system, La Belle Province has implemented Bill 491, which aims to reduce food waste across the province by 50% by 2025. According to the Assemblée nationale du Québe, businesses must make serious efforts to enter into agreements to reduce waste of unsold products with recognized organizations, prioritizing local and regional groups to minimize transportation and maintain food quality. (Assemblée nationale du Québec, 2020).
The good news is that Quebec is not the only region globally engaged in combating food waste. France, for example, has made significant efforts to reduce food waste across the country by implementing Garot's law in 2016. This law prohibits supermarkets and food chains from throwing away or destroying unsold food that is still edible. Instead, they are required to donate the unsold food to charity (French National Assembly, 2016). This law is a jumping-off point for more change in combating food waste. It hopes to save millions of meals from being wasted and provide nourishment to those in need.
Bill 491 was inspired by Garot's law and aims to create a similar food recovery and redistribution management system. It supports the provincial government’s priority to reduce food security, considering that over 500,000 people in Quebec rely on food banks each month (Food Banks of Quebec, 2024). This Bill will have a widespread positive impact on these food centers by increasing the number of people they can serve. Redirecting unsold food to these organizations can help bridge the gap between surplus and scarcity, ensuring that edible food reaches those who need it most.
However, Quebec’s ambitious project to reduce food waste by 50% in less than 2 years comes with some challenges; one of the main challenges in implementing a system like Garot's Law is the management of refrigeration and transportation logistics between the producers, food chains, supermarkets, and food banks. To keep food edible long enough to reach supermarket shelves it has to stay in stable, low temperatures and meet stringent hygiene requirements. To achieve this, firms must invest in expensive cold storage infrastructure and a well-coordinated network of refrigerated vehicles. Many smaller charities and food banks may lack the resources to handle these demands, making it essential for the government and private sector to step in with funding and logistical support (National Zero Waste Council, 2022). To make them more competitive with large operations, the government has implemented some exceptions to help small food providers (Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, 2023) by reducing or avoiding the obligation of food transport. This will allow them to grow as businesses before becoming subject to the new food waste regulation.
Adopting Garot's Law in Quebec could yield significant environmental benefits despite the challenges. Food waste is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with decomposing food in landfills producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas. By diverting food waste from landfills, Quebec can significantly reduce its carbon footprint and make substantial progress towards its climate goals (IPCC, 2023).
This is exciting news for Quebec; Bill 491 is not just a step towards a more sustainable and equitable food system but also has the potential to serve as a model for other regions in North America. By learning from France's Garot's Law and prioritizing local partnerships, Quebec can transform unsold food into a valuable resource in the fight against food insecurity. While challenges like refrigeration management and transportation logistics remain, they are not insurmountable. With the right investment and collaboration, Quebec can create a robust food recovery network that benefits people and the planet. As Quebec moves forward with its ambitious targets, it sets an example for other regions to follow, proving that a second chance for unsold food is not just possible but essential (Institute for Sustainable Development, 2024).
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References:
Assemblée nationale du Québec. (2020). Bill 491 - An Act to combat food waste. Québec Official Publisher.
Food Banks of Quebec. (2024). Annual Hunger Report 2024. https://www.banquesalimentaires.org
French National Assembly. (2016). Loi n° 2016-138 relative à la lutte contre le gaspillage alimentaire [Law No. 2016-138 on combating food waste]. https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr
Institute for Sustainable Development. (2024). Comparative analysis of food waste policies: Lessons for North America. https://www.isd.org
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2023). Climate change and food waste: IPCC special report. https://www.ipcc.ch
National Assembly of Quebec. (2023). Loi sur la réduction du gaspillage alimentaire [Act to reduce food waste], Bill 491. https://www.assnat.qc.ca
National Zero Waste Council. (2022). Cold chain logistics for food recovery. https://www.nzwc.ca
Recyc-Québec. (2024). État des lieux sur le gaspillage alimentaire au Québec [Report on food waste in Quebec]. Government of Quebec. https://www.recyc-quebec.gouv.qc.ca
Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. (2023). Guidelines for small food providers under Bill 491. https://www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca
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