NATALIA SHAGAIDA: “FOOD-SHARING IS AN IMPORTANT INITIATIVE”

The Government supported the idea of food-sharing. Natalia Shagaida, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Head of the Agrarian Policy Department of the Gaidar Institute told the Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily about the idea to give expired food products to those in need.

Together with retail store chains, the RF Ministry of Industry and Trade is working on legislative solutions to promote food-sharing programs in Russia, that is, a gratuitous transfer of near to expire date products. According to the agency led by Denis Manturov, this will help solve immediately a few issues “starting from humanitarian ones to the reduction in waste generation.” The Agency added that this initiative concerned only those products which were suitable for human consumption in compliance with legal requirements and, specifically, if they still had some shelf-life period left, but for some reasons were not required by consumers. For example, a sales forecasts could have been wrong and, consequently, led to a larger than needed supply of goods to a shop.

Food-sharing is an excellent idea and an important instrument, says the expert. Natalia Shagaida reminds that “up to 30% of products are thrown away” in the world. However, apart from the importance of such a support for the needy and ecological agenda, it is worth reminding that for numerous households the instrument of maintaining consumer demand for food products whose shelf-life is not yet over could become ever more relevant. It is particularly important amid high inflation and a long stagnation of households’ incomes.

For example, judging by the data of the Obschestvennoe Mnenie” (Public Opinion) Fund within a year nearly a third of individuals repeatedly noted that by their estimates prices had appreciated considerably for numerous food products, such as meat, dairy products, fish and sugar. For example, according to Rosstat’s latest data, prices for bread and bakery products have appreciated year-on-year nationwide on average by 18%; milk and dairy products – by 21.5%, butter – by 24%, alimentary products – by 25%, cereals – 30% and sugar – by 45% with the overall inflation rate of around 14%.