Voice of China, China Media Group: 

We understand the importance of preventing catering waste to ensure national food security and promoting a conservation-oriented society. We are also aware that the SAMR has recently launched a special campaign against food waste. Could you please provide us with an update on the latest progress and achievements of this campaign? Thank you!

Luo Wen:

Thank you for your question. My colleague Mr. Pu Chun will answer this question.

Pu Chun:

Thank you for your question. This is a very important issue. As the saying goes, "Every grain of rice and every drop of congee should be cherished." Thrift and frugality are traditional virtues of the Chinese nation and an unshakable tradition of our Party. The SAMR has consistently prioritized the rectification of catering waste, with a persistent focus on setting standards, establishing systems, enhancing supervision, enforcing strict laws, conducting extensive publicity, and providing guidance to promote widespread efforts across society to prevent catering waste.

In March of this year, the SAMR launched a special three-month campaign to combat catering waste within the national market supervision system. The aim is to address outstanding issues, uncover illegal cases, develop group standards, and promote exemplary models in order to foster a positive social culture of frugality and anti-waste. The national market regulatory authorities have mainly focused on the following areas of work.

First, we have intensified regulatory oversight to establish effective constraints. By integrating the prevention of catering waste into the "two responsibilities " framework for food safety, which involved the primary responsibility of food production and operation entities and the responsibility of local government management for food safety, we ensured its implementation and supervision. We have also organized actions such as "random inspections of restaurants" and enforced swift and strict investigation and punishment for illegal cases of catering waste. By the end of March, a total of 2.595 million catering service operators had been urged to conduct self-inspections, resulting in the investigation and resolution of 2,423 cases of illegal behavior, with 229 typical cases publicly announced and exposed.

Second, we have strengthened guidance and leveraged the benefits of role model demonstration. We have studied and formulated the Guiding Opinions on Implementing the Responsibility of the Main Entities of Online Catering Platforms to Effectively Prevent the Waste of Takeaway Food, urging the leading takeaway platforms to play a demonstrating and leading role. We have guided the formulation of comprehensive prompts throughout the entire process, refined the portion descriptions, adjusted the discount for meeting the minimum order requirement, promoted specific measures such as "small portion, small dishes," and established a reward mechanism, which has all helped to promote a standardized and healthy takeaway food ordering industry.

Third, we led by setting standards and establishing long-term mechanisms. We have included food conservation, waste reduction, and prevention of catering waste in the 2023 Guideline on National Standard Establishment , providing strong support for these key areas. We are also promoting the formulation of national standards, such as the Guidelines for Assessing the Effectiveness of Anti-Food Waste Measures in Canteens of Government Organs, and have approved the release of the Credit Rating Evaluation Criteria for the Hospitality Industry to link corporate credit with anti-waste efforts. Furthermore, we are facilitating industry organizations to jointly develop six group standards for preventing catering waste.

Fourth, we are focusing on publicity and guidance and fostering a joint-governance atmosphere. We have organized industry associations to issue joint initiatives, advocating for an increased awareness of food conservation and resistance to wasteful behaviors among enterprises and consumers. We have conducted activities on campuses to promote anti-food-waste knowledge, with anti-food-waste knowledge promotion videos simultaneously played in 371 universities and colleges, reaching over 1 million views. We have also provided guidance to local governments to carry out activities promoting relevant standards and legal knowledge on preventing catering waste, with 5,914 events held and 2.253 million catering industry practitioners trained, receiving positive feedback from society.

Stopping food waste requires the collective participation of the entire society, and it should be a sustained and persistent effort. We have taken the opportunity at this press conference to urge the media to pay more attention to efforts in combating food waste. Let us all become practitioners, advocates, and watchdogs of the "Clear Your Plate" campaign, working together to promote a civilized, healthy, and sustainable dining consumption philosophy. Thank you!