Experts in China are calling for more regulations to control food wastage. This follows Chinese leader Xi Jingping's call to avoid extravagance during bureaucratic visits. Figures show 8 million tons of food – worth 300 Billion Yuan is wasted annually here in the country, with public officials and civil servants said to be responsible for 92 percent of that. Following Xi Jingping's call, a number of traditional year end parties by government officials have reportedly been downgraded. However the wastage isn't just being blamed on government officials, with restaurant owners in Beijing saying their customers are often as guilty. "Normally, two people can finish one or two dishes, but if they end up ordering five or six dishes, they sure couldn't finish them all. Food waste happens most often during business dinners, with some dishes going straight to the waste. " This spring festival, apart from encouraging people to order less, 10 big dining brands in Beijing will also introduce a half-portion option to allow people more variety while avoiding waste. However a Professor of Public Management, Zhang Zhixin with the Capital University of Economics and Business, says the anti-food-waste drive needs stricter rules. "We should try to eliminate undocumented officials' collective spending by tightening our budgetary rules. By doing so I think we can avoid corruption and unnecessary banquets." |