Bulgaria is to launch a national food bank to feed the needy. The scheme will use donations of near sell by date food and groceries with damaged packaging that would otherwise be thrown away.

According to Sofia news agency Novinite.com, around 400,000 tonnes of food is destroyed in Bulgaria each year and the plan, put simply, is to give it to the hungry instead of dumping it.

Although it's hard to imagine anyone being against a plan that aims to kill two thoroughly-deserving-death birds with one stone – hunger and waste, companies have opposed the move. The reason? Money of course, no VAT is paid on destroyed food, but will have to be paid on donated food.

The Bulgarian government refused to exempt the donations from VAT, arguing that it would result in tax evasion by companies involved in food production and distribution.

Read the Novinite.com article here.

Liam Lever, liam@romania-insider.com