Prime Minister Kristen Michal (RE) does not like that the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture wants to add bureaucracy to donated food. He said that the government agreed that bureaucracy would be reduced. "Some things break the back of even the most patient camel. The government agreed – things should be simpler, faster, with less bureaucracy. Every month a new idea, taxes, and new requirements, this is not the way we should go. Something has to change. Enough," Michal wrote on social media.
Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Erkki Keldo (RE) said that such additional regulation is not needed. "No reasonable person wants to live in a nanny state where everything has to be labeled and regulated just in case. People can think for themselves, and free people must also take responsibility for their actions. The state does not have to decide everything for them. A person is a better master of their decisions than the state," he said.
On Wednesday, it became clear that the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture wants to regulate the information provided when donating unpackaged food. According to the ministry, the aim of the change is to provide consumers with more accurate information about the food they consume. The ministry's spokesperson said that the aim of the change is to reduce bureaucracy.
According to the Retailers' Association, the initiative reduces retailers' motivation and opportunities to donate food. The ministry's idea is to establish requirements for donating unpackaged food, such as salads, soups, pancakes, etc. The name of the food, allergen information, the donor's legal name, and in some cases contact information must be provided.