Is the Law Sufficient for Doggy Bags? The Main Barrier to Food Waste in Restaurants

The regulation that aimed to turn the packaging of leftover food in restaurants into an explicit consumer right in Italy has currently been shelved. Article 13, which was part of the preparatory process of the Competition Bill discussed by the Council of Ministers on July 23, 2026, was removed from the final text. The planned regulation aimed to define the right for customers to take home food they ordered but did not consume, rather than imposing an absolute obligation for restaurants to provide doggy bags. The details regarding hygiene and food safety of the implementation were expected to be determined by a subsequent ministry regulation.

The withdrawal of the article indicates the need for more comprehensive consultations with representatives of the restaurant sector. FIPE argues that it is not against the doggy bag practice but believes that consumer behavior needs to change before any legal regulation can effectively reduce food waste in restaurants. According to Gambero Rosso, the issue may come back to the parliamentary agenda; however, as of August 13, 2026, the regulation in question is not a legal obligation in force.

Research by FIPE and Comieco in 2024 reveals a significant difference behind this view. According to the research, only 15.5% of consumers in Italy take home food they could not consume in restaurants; the percentage for wine drops to 11.8%. In contrast, 91.8% of restaurant operators are in a position to offer customers the option to package leftover food. While 74% of consumers view the practice positively, 22% consider the availability of doggy bags as a factor in their choice of restaurant.

Therefore, focusing solely on packaging or legislative deficiencies does not seem sufficient to address the issue of food waste in restaurants. In FIPE's research, about half of restaurant operators cite feelings of shame or hesitation as one of the main reasons customers do not request leftover food. Discomfort and indifference are also among the other reasons.

To change this behavior in Italy, the Rimpiattino project developed by FIPE and Comieco has been implemented since 2019. By 2024, a total of 24,000 packages had been distributed to 875 restaurants in 22 cities as part of the project. The aim is not only to provide customers with a box but to make taking home leftover food a natural part of the restaurant experience.

In our opinion: For the doggy bag to be effective, it needs to transform from a passive system that waits for customers to request it into a natural practice integrated into the service process. Suggesting the packaging of leftover items when the waiter brings the bill, having suitable packaging readily available, and informing staff about food safety can reduce waste with small operational changes. For businesses, the issue is not just about sustainability communication; tracking portion sizes, the amount of food left on the plate, and customer behavior can also provide data for menu planning. For a similar approach to succeed in Turkey, service culture, appropriate packaging, and a communication style that allows customers to request without hesitation should be developed together before any legal obligation.