Every European generates an average of 132 kilograms of food waste and 12 kilograms of textile and footwear waste per year, according to European Commission data. To combat this growing problem, the European Parliament adopted new regulations in September setting food waste reduction targets and introducing producer responsibility for textile, clothing, and footwear waste, which will require manufacturers to cover system costs.
Under the proposed amendments to the Waste Framework Directive (WFD), by the end of 2030 food waste must be reduced by 10% in the food processing and manufacturing sector and by 30% in retail, hospitality, food services, and households (per capita) compared to the 2021–2023 average.
“This is part of the broader waste directive, which will be fully revised in 2026 because Europe is still struggling with waste. Particularly since 80% of products are manufactured outside the EU and, importantly, 80% of EU waste is exported abroad. This is shameful for the EU, which claims to be ambitious about protecting the environment,”
said MEP Anna Zalewska (Law and Justice Party) in an interview with Newseria.
She stressed that incentives, not penalties, are the right way forward, and that pressure from Parliament ensured that farmers and microenterprises were excluded from the new rules.
Support for Farmers and Small Businesses
Among the new measures are provisions that farmers had specifically requested. “Ugly” produce—like a carrot with two roots—must now be treated as equally valuable as other produce, ensuring contracts cover such items as normal products. At the same time, supermarkets will no longer be allowed to cancel previously agreed purchases, which often forced farmers to let food go to waste.
Each year, the EU generates nearly 60 million tonnes of food waste—worth €132 billion—which is not only an economic but also a social and ethical problem, as over 42 million people in the EU cannot afford a quality meal every second day. The European Commission estimates that wasted food accounts for around 16% of greenhouse gas emissions from the EU’s food system.
Eurostat data (2024) shows that households are responsible for 54% of food waste (72 kg per person), followed by food production (19%), restaurants and catering (11%), and retail (8%).
“Producers and supermarkets often say: ‘It’s not our problem.’ That must change. Consumers need clear information on how to avoid waste and where to return food. Restaurants, too, should ensure that if a customer doesn’t finish a meal, they can and should take it home,”
Zalewska said.
The new rules require member states to ensure that businesses with a significant impact on food waste facilitate the donation of unsold food fit for human consumption.
Extended Producer Responsibility for Textiles
The legislation also introduces Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles. Producers placing clothing, footwear, and other textiles on the EU market will have to cover the costs of collection, sorting, and recycling. Member states will have 30 months from the directive’s entry into force to implement these systems. Microenterprises will have an additional year to comply.
The rules will apply to all producers, including those outside the EU who sell via e-commerce. Covered products include clothing, accessories, headwear, footwear, blankets, bedding, table and kitchen linen, and curtains. Member states may also extend EPR to mattress producers. When setting EPR fees, legislators urged governments to consider the impact of ultra-fast fashion.
“This is a fresh issue, particularly with clothing produced outside the EU, often sold without tax, distorting the market, and pushing European producers out. Many such products—like toys or baby strollers—are low-quality goods. This reform is the beginning of holding producers accountable for what they send to Europe,”
Zalewska explained.
Member states are already obliged, since January 2025, to ensure separate collection of textiles and footwear, so that more can be recycled rather than landfilled. However, Zalewska noted that municipalities must make disposal more convenient, for example by providing textile bins alongside those for glass and plastic, rather than requiring residents to transport items to distant collection points.
Europeans generate 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste annually, including 5.2 million tonnes of clothing and footwear—about 12 kg per person. The European Commission estimates that less than 1% of textiles worldwide are currently recycled into new products.
Next Steps
Member states will have 20 months from the entry into force of the directive to transpose the provisions into national law. The aim is to gradually build a system that minimizes waste, strengthens producer accountability, and encourages sustainable consumer habits.
