FLASH
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Food products with near-expiration dates in the country are treated in two ways: either they are allowed to expire and discarded without paying taxes, or if they are donated, taxes are paid.
Such a situation favors businesses more to let it expire, thus not encouraging donation and consequently creating more food waste. The National Program for the Prevention of Waste Creation brings this aspect to attention, underlining that a legal intervention to facilitate food donation could have a positive effect.
"Current practice shows that due to VAT it is often cheaper for businesses to throw away food than to redistribute it."
In line with the aim of the new EU Food Directive, to reduce food waste and to support the objective of redistributing surplus food for human consumption, amendments to the Value Added Tax Law and the Income Tax Law will be applied, with the aim of exempting food donations from VAT and income tax.
"Food donation at social points is part of the objectives for a 30% food reduction at the retail level, foreseen by 2035," the document states.
The same brings to attention that various European Union countries have invested in a number of aspects to encourage food donation, such as:
Mandatory regulations: Requiring the donation of unsold food from supermarkets, the catering and hospitality sector.
Legal elements: Minimizing legal risks and liability for food donations, where possible.
Economic incentives: Exempting donated food from taxes.
Organizational mechanisms: Through the establishment of sectoral working groups on food donation, to facilitate and encourage food donation in Albania, as well as conducting a study on possible legal obstacles and food donations that are currently being carried out.
Capacity building: Organizing training on food donations for employees in the food industry, retail and food service sectors (e.g. hotels, restaurants and cafes).
"The Food Bank in Albania is part of the European Federation of Food Banks. This gives businesses the opportunity to collaborate with the Food Bank, enabling the distribution of food in quantities to people in need."
These approaches help divert edible food from landfill disposal and into use. However, currently, Albania does not have a specific legal and regulatory framework to encourage food donations,” the program states./Monitor
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