KUALA LUMPUR ― It is now against the law to waste food in China following the passing of the Anti-Food Waste law recently.

Chinese portal Xinhua reported that the law was aimed at safeguarding the country's food security.

The law states that catering service providers can charge a disposal fee on customers who leave excessive amounts of food waste, but the rates must be clearly displayed.

Catering service providers are also required to remind customers of food frugality duties.

Those found guilty of inducing or misleading behaviors that lead to diners wasting food will receive a warning.

Serious violators will be fined up to 10,000 yuan (S$2,000).

With the law enforced, food bloggers will also be banned from livestreaming their binge eating.

Media outlets that publish such content will be warned, and if their violations are deemed severe, they will be shut down.

The law also puts in place new requirements for governments to curb food waste.

Local governments will inform the public on the developments in their anti-food waste work every year and propose measures to step up the efforts.

Approximately 18 billion kilogrammes of food is wasted every year in China's urban catering industry. MALAY MAIL