China is taking action to cut down on food waste. government has started new campaign to encourage people to think about amount of food they waste. It is called "Clean Plate Campaign". President Xi Jinping wants people to reduce amount of food wasted. He called waste "shocking and distressing". There are many reports in China that food crisis is coming. Food production has decreased because of coronavirus and because of floods in southern China. Experts say this will not lead to crisis, but the government wants people to pay more attention to how much food they leave on their plate. President Xi said China had to "maintain sense of crisis about food security".
Many restaurants are taking campaign very seriously. restaurant in central China went little too far as it started weighing customers. It had to apologise to diners who were offended at being weighed. It said: "We originally wanted customers to stop food waste and order food in healthy way." A restaurant in capital Beijing told Global Times newspaper: "We remind our guests when they order too much food." Restaurants in Wuhan have started N-1 system. This is where groups of diners must order one fewer dish than number of people in group. Earlier this year, the United Nations warned that world could see its worst food crisis in 50 years.
