3 Signatures
500 for collection target
Petition addressed to: Komisja Europejska, Parlament Europejski, Rada Unii Europejskiej oraz rządy państw członkowskich Unii Europejskiej
The basic food basket must be protected. Supermarkets should serve society
We call on the institutions of the European Union to take action to protect the basic food basket and to strengthen the social responsibility of large supermarket chains.
In many European Union countries, supermarkets are no longer ordinary shops. They have become the main place where millions of people buy their food. In many places, they have replaced local butchers, bakers, greengrocers and small neighbourhood shops.
For this reason, large retail chains that have taken over such an important social role should also have special responsibilities towards society.
Basic food products such as bread, milk, eggs, potatoes, rice, pasta, vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and dairy products are not luxuries. They are essential for everyday life.
We do not oppose fair profit. However, we oppose a situation in which essential food products are used to generate excessive margins, record financial results and luxury for management boards and shareholders.
We call on the European Union to:
- Recognise the basic food basket as a social good that requires special protection.
- Examine the margins applied by the largest supermarket chains to essential food products.
- Introduce greater price transparency for products of basic necessity.
- Develop European standards of social responsibility for large supermarket chains.
- Introduce an obligation for the largest retail chains to report food losses and food waste.
- Take stronger action against food waste, including earlier and more effective discounts on products close to their expiry date.
- Support the transfer of unsold but safe food to social organisations and food banks.
The supermarket of the 21st century is no longer just a shop. It is part of the daily food supply system of society.
Therefore, it should not only sell.
It should also serve society.
The basic food basket must be protected.
Food should go to people, not to containers.
Bread, milk, eggs and vegetables should not be used to build golden palaces.
Reason
In many European Union countries, supermarkets are no longer ordinary shops. They have become the main place where millions of people buy their food. In many places, they have replaced local butchers, bakers, greengrocers and small shops.
This means that large retail chains have taken over not only a huge part of the market, but also an important social function. Their pricing policies determine how much citizens pay for basic food.
We do not oppose fair profit. However, we oppose a situation in which essential products can be used to generate excessive margins, record financial results and luxury for management boards and shareholders, while more and more people in Europe are feeling the pressure of the rising cost of living.
At the same time, every day some food products close to their expiry date are discounted too late or too weakly to realistically prevent waste. Food should go to people, not to containers.
The basic food basket is not a luxury. It is a condition for normal life. That is why the European Union and national governments should address the protection of basic food, the transparency of supermarket margins and the reduction of food waste.
Thank you so much for your support, Wiatraczek.nl, Alphen aan den rijn
Question to the initiator
Petition details
Petition started:
06/13/2026
Collection ends:
12/12/2026
Region:
European Union
Topic:
Consumer protection
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97
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33 days
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Ta petycja jest dla mnie ważna, ponieważ żywność nie jest luksusem, lecz podstawowym warunkiem normalnego życia.
Uważam, że duże sieci supermarketów w Europie stały się czymś więcej niż zwykłymi sklepami. Dla milionów ludzi są dziś głównym źródłem codziennej żywności. To daje im nie tylko siłę rynkową, ale także odpowiedzialność społeczną.
Niepokoi mnie sytuacja, w której podstawowe produkty, takie jak chleb, mleko, jajka, warzywa, owoce, mięso, ryby i nabiał, mogą służyć do budowania nadmiernych zysków, podczas gdy wielu ludzi zmaga się z rosnącymi kosztami życia.
Niepokoi mnie również marnowanie żywności. Bezpieczna żywność powinna, gdy tylko jest to możliwe, trafiać do ludzi, zamiast kończyć w kontenerach.
Dlatego uważam, że Unia Europejska i rządy krajowe powinny chronić podstawowy koszyk żywnościowy, zwiększyć przejrzystość marż supermarketów i wymagać od dużych sieci handlowych większej odpowiedzialności wobec społeczeństwa.