How Department Stores and Retailers Are Tackling the Food Waste Ban: Promoting Food Conservation from the Source

## Food Waste Challenge Under the Table 6 (Central News Agency, Reporter He Xiuling, Taipei, 12th)

The policy banning the use of food waste (kitchen waste) for pig farming is set to take effect next year (2026). Department store food courts, which generate large amounts of food waste daily, will be the first to be affected. Convenience stores, supermarkets, and hypermarkets also face the dual challenges of backend processing capacity and significantly increased costs.

In fact, to confront the potentially overwhelming amount of food waste with nowhere to go, department stores have been strengthening waste sorting management since the end of last year, even investing heavily in installing food waste processors. Convenience stores, supermarkets, and hypermarkets have also established "food conservation mechanisms" to reduce waste at the source before goods become food waste.

### Disposal Costs Could Skyrocket by 30%; Department Store Food Courts Implement Food Waste Pulping and Liquefaction

A department store insider revealed that while basement levels have low-temperature storage spaces, they have traditionally relied on professional recycling companies for disposal. If the pig farming disposal channel is cut off, recycling companies may reduce their intake, forcing food waste to be treated as general waste, with disposal costs likely far exceeding those for food waste.

Ahead of the ban on feeding food waste to pigs, some department stores had already strengthened food waste sorting rules for food courts and restaurants by the end of 2025. Items like fruit peels and shrimp shells can no longer be classified as food waste. Restaurants failing to comply with sorting regulations will face fines.

Wu Su-yin, General Manager of Operations at Far Eastern SOGO, stated that after the ban on using food waste for pig farming, disposal costs alone will increase by 30%. However, to mitigate the policy's impact, Far Eastern SOGO has invested in related equipment and management measures, including installing food waste processors in back-of-house areas. These processors can pulverize food waste into liquid, and the non-pulverizable parts can be converted into fertilizer. Wu stated unequivocally, "This equipment (food waste processor) is a must-invest."

In addition to backend processing equipment, SOGO mentioned that it has been promoting food conservation measures in its restaurants in recent years, aiming to reduce food waste generation at the source and lower future processing pressure.

### AI Fresh Food and Food Conservation Maps: Convenience Stores and Supermarkets Build Digital Defenses

It's not just department stores facing the challenge. Facing rising food waste processing costs, convenience stores, supermarkets, and hypermarkets have made "food conservation" their first line of defense for source reduction. Through precise ordering, discounts on soon-to-expire items, and digital tools, they aim to sell goods before they become waste, reducing food waste generation at the source.

Convenience store operators are reducing waste through precise ordering and promotions on soon-to-expire items. Uni-President Enterprises Corp (7-Eleven) noted that its "i-Food" discount mechanism for soon-to-expire items reduced food waste by over 20,000 metric tons in 2025. FamilyMart introduced an AI fresh food ordering system to help stores order precisely, reducing fresh food waste by over 10%. Its "Friendly Food Time" discount mechanism for soon-to-expire items had cumulatively reduced over 47,000 metric tons of food waste by the end of 2025. Hi-Life leveraged promotions on soon-to-expire items, boosting sales of related products by 72.5% year-on-year.

Supermarkets and hypermarkets are using a dual approach of digital technology and social donations, all aimed at source reduction.

PX Mart (Chuan Lian) stated that it primarily cooperates with professional disposal companies to handle food waste through incineration or anaerobic fermentation. One of its hypermarket stores, Da Chuan Lian, is also experimenting with processing through cooperation with black soldier fly operators. It also reduces waste through discounts on soon-to-expire items, food conservation donations, and its "PX Pay Food Conservation Map" program. PX Mart noted that since the launch of the Food Conservation Map in the fourth quarter of 2024, the sell-through rate for soon-to-expire items has reached 85%.

Carrefour, meanwhile, has cooperated with food banks and food collection programs, accumulating over 4,400 metric tons of food collected and donated over the years. Carrefour stated that it hopes to reduce the total volume entering the backend food waste processing system through social welfare donations before goods become waste, thereby alleviating processing pressure after the policy takes effect. (Editor: Chang Li-chih, Lin Shu-yuan) 1150612