Russia's 'Fair Russia - For Truth' Proposes 'Social Shelves' for Food Waste Reduction
The 'Fair Russia - For Truth' faction has proposed a bill to the State Duma, introducing 'social shelves' for distributing nearing-expiration products to vulnerable citizens. However, the practicality and potential abuse of this initiative have raised concerns among the trading sector representatives. The bill's author, Sergei Mironov, cites a study estimating that discarded products could feed around 30 million people in Russia.
The bill aims to tackle the significant issue of food waste in Russia, with an annual volume of 17 million tons and a value of over 1.5 trillion rubles. It proposes setting up 'social shelves' where needy citizens, presenting relevant documents like pension cards, can collect soon-to-expire goods. To encourage businesses to participate, the bill suggests increasing charity limits from 1% to 5% of revenue.
However, the initiative has sparked debate. Irina Kotenko, chair of the Yakut branch of 'Business Russia', believes it may be more suitable for large retail chains than small stores. Tax reporting and VAT compensation are among the questions raised by entrepreneurs. Currently, there's no specific legislative update or detailed tax regulation on such practices in Russia, making the implementation of 'social shelves' complex. Sergei Mironov acknowledged these challenges, attributing them to tax issues making free distribution more expensive than disposal. Yuri Grigoryev, a State Duma deputy, supports the initiative and suggests further discussion with business communities and possible regional testing.
The 'social shelves' initiative, aimed at reducing food waste and aiding vulnerable citizens, faces practical challenges and unanswered questions regarding tax reporting and regulation. Despite these concerns, the bill's authors and some deputies remain supportive, emphasizing the need for further dialogue with business communities and potential regional trials.
