The Italian Government passed the Gadda Law (L. 166/2016), which was designed to create a more coherent national framework for the recovery and redistribution of food surpluses. This law aims to simplify existing regulations, update practices, and increase the involvement of Civil Society Organizations in efforts to combat food poverty.

Under this law, any surplus agricultural or retail food products must be donated to national redistribution associations. It establishes guidelines for donations and waste management across the country, along with a range of tax incentives for donors. The law is comprehensive, consisting of over 18 articles that address not only food waste but also the disposal of pharmaceutical products, and it provides definitions for important terms such as “food waste” and “leftovers.”

Moreover, the law allows municipalities to reduce waste taxes for retailers who donate their surplus food, with the reduction proportional to the amount of food donated to charities. This provision has the potential to be a powerful tool for local policymakers, significantly decreasing the amount of food discarded by retail stores as solid waste.