It’s Now Law to Find Better Solutions for Food and Fashion Waste

The European Parliament has passed sweeping new laws to reduce the amount of food and clothing that gets thrown away across the bloc — a significant win for sustainability and the circular economy.

By 2030, food waste from households, retailers, and restaurants must drop by 30% compared to 2021-23 levels, while manufacturers and processors face a 10% cut.

Every year, the EU generates approximately 60 million tonnes of food waste, in addition to 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste. That’s about 12 kg of clothing and footwear per person. Textile producers will now be responsible for the costs of collecting, sorting, and recycling fabrics, including items sold online and by foreign companies. These changes won’t happen overnight, but they demonstrate that laws are catching up to the environmental urgency and can reshape how industries manage waste.