Germany discards nearly 11 million tons of food every year, according to figures released by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
Around 60 percent of this waste comes from private households, Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer (CSU) emphasized at the launch of the nationwide campaign week “Too Good for the Bin!” running from September 29 to October 6.
The initiative includes lectures, local projects and information campaigns designed to encourage consumers to handle food more responsibly.
“Only by working together can we reduce this massive waste of valuable resources,” Rainer stressed.
Consumer advocates call food poverty a “bitter reality”
While awareness campaigns highlight the problem, consumer protection groups argue that structural issues such as overproduction and oversupply remain the main drivers of waste.
Many supermarkets remove products with a best-before date up to five days before expiration, discarding items that are still edible.
At the same time, food insecurity is rising: some people resort to so-called containering—collecting discarded food from supermarket bins—because they cannot afford groceries.
“Food poverty is a bitter reality in Germany,” the German Consumer Federation stated on its website.
No new move to legalize containering
Two years ago, the federal government considered partially legalizing food recovery from waste containers, but the plan collapsed due to lack of agreement among federal states.
Unanimity was required because changes would have affected criminal and regulatory law, which falls under state jurisdiction.
According to the Agriculture Ministry, no new initiative is currently planned.
Still, many politicians argue the legal situation is outdated. SPD Bundestag deputy Esra Limbacher criticized the criminalization of containering: “Every rescued food item contributes to resource conservation and social justice,” he said.
SPD pushes for easier food donations
Instead of legalizing containering, the Social Democrats want to make it easier for retailers to donate unsold but edible food.
“It must no longer be cheaper for supermarkets to throw food away than to donate it,” Limbacher told the Rheinische Post.
He also called for abolishing best-before dates on long-lasting goods such as canned food, rice, tea or pasta, since these products are often safe to consume years after the date expires.
Foodsharing initiatives across Germany
Alongside political debate, grassroots initiatives continue to raise awareness.
In Berlin, the group Foodsharing held events outside the Red City Hall during the campaign week, with installations, information stands and expert talks involving politicians, scientists, restaurateurs and social organizations.
According to the German Press Agency, around 30 cities nationwide are participating with their own events.
