Prevention of Food Waste in China: Role and Impact of China's Anti-Food Waste Law.

In recent years, despite global improvements in development, food scarcity and waste remain critical issues impacting food security, human health, and environmental sustainability. China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs reports that China's food loss and waste rate is approximately 22.7%, amounting to 460 million tons annually, with the consumption and post-harvest processing stages facing the highest losses. To address these issues, China enacted the Anti-Food Waste Law in 2021, aiming to reduce food waste through clear responsibilities, incentives, and penalties for government agencies and relevant stakeholders. While scholars note that the law represents a significant shift from moral to legal governance in tackling food waste, some argue that its provisions lack sufficient specificity. This article assesses the effectiveness of China's anti-food waste legislation using case studies and comparative analyses, highlighting the challenges in defining and implementing the law within China's cultural framework, where food signifies abundance and prosperity. Additionally, the article explores successful international practices, including the 2030 Champions Program and similar efforts in Europe and Japan, to inform China's strategy. The key recommendations for policy improvement include strengthening accountability and governance, establishing a food hierarchy for sustainable resource management, enhancing data collection on food waste, promoting food donation mechanisms, and transitioning from a solely government-led regulatory approach to a multi-dimensional co-regulation model.