Today, 2 April 2026, the Law 1/2025 on the prevention of food wasteThe new legislation is a key regulation that has a direct impact on the hospitality sector. It aims to reduce food waste, improve sustainability and encourage more efficient management of resources.
Below, we explain clearly which establishments are obliged to comply and which may be exempt.
🏨 Which establishments are obliged?
In general, they must comply with the regulations:
- Restaurants, bars and cafés
- Catering services
- Catering companies
- Medium to large establishments
In such cases, it shall be compulsory to have a food waste prevention planThe Commission will also apply the other measures laid down by law.
⚠️ Which establishments can be exempted?
They may be exempted from the prevention plan:
- Micro-enterprises (less than 10 employees and low turnover)
- Premises with a surface area of less than 1,300 m².
However, they must also comply with basic obligations such as:
- Make it easy for the customer to take leftovers
- Proper management of surpluses
- Implement measures to reduce waste
📋 Main obligations of the law
The most relevant measures introduced by the regulation are:
- Drawing up a prevention plan (where mandatory)
- Offer packaging so that the customer can take leftovers away with them
- Surplus management in this order:
- Donation
- Animal feed
- Industrial use
- Elimination
- Active promotion of food donation
- Measurement and control of food waste
- Penalty regime with fines of up to 500.000 €
📩 Information and queries
In order to offer a rigorous and adapted response to each case, you can send your queries to:
🔗 More official information
- BOE: https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2025-6597
- Ministry of Agriculture: https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/alimentacion/temas/desperdicio/normativa

