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Food Donation Encouragement Law, 5779-2018

חוק עידוד תרומות מזון, תשע"ט-2018

Published: 2018-10-29Consolidated Hebrew text as of 2026-06-28 · Last amended 2024-11-28✓ Amendment status checked against the Knesset legislation record on 2026-09-17
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Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More

This English text was translated from the official Hebrew using a range of translation tools, and it undergoes ongoing checks and updates. It is not a certified translation.

Despite these checks, it may contain errors, omissions, or imprecise renderings of legal terminology and cross-references, and it may not yet reflect the latest amendments. It cannot be relied upon as a legal text.

The Hebrew text as published in Reshumot (ספר החוקים) and on the Knesset website is the sole authoritative and legally binding version. In any discrepancy, the Hebrew text prevails.

This translation is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For use in legal proceedings, request a certified Expert Legal Opinion.

Definitions§

1.

In this Law –

"food distribution organisation" – as defined in section 159 of the Food Law;

"security body" – the Israel Defence Forces, the Israel Police, the Israel Prison Service and the Witness Protection Authority;

"public body" – any of the following, except a body that is a medical institution as defined in section 24 of the Public Health Ordinance, 1940:

(1)a Government ministry or a support unit thereof, except support units of the Prime Minister's Office or the Ministry of Defence whose principal activity is in the field of state security;
(2)the Knesset;
(3)the State Comptroller;
(4)a local authority;
(5)a municipal company as defined in section 21 of the Budget Foundations Law, 5745-1985;
(6)a corporation established by law or by virtue of the authority of a Minister conferred by law;
(7)a Government company or a Government subsidiary as defined in the Government Companies Law, 5735-1975;
(8)a religious council;
(9)the Israel Defence Forces;
(10)the Israel Police;
(11)the Israel Prison Service;

"Food Law" – the Public Health Protection (Food) Law, 5776-2015;

"food" – as defined in the Food Law;

"surplus food" – food fit for human consumption that is not leftovers as defined in section 11 of the Food Law, and which a public body or a person supplying catering services on its behalf does not intend to use, and which, were it not to be donated, would be discarded as waste;

"responsible Minister", in relation to a security body – as set out below:

(1)in relation to the Israel Defence Forces – the Minister of Defence;
(2)in relation to the Israel Police, the Israel Prison Service and the Witness Protection Authority – the Minister for National Security.

Limitation of liability§

2.
(a)A person who donates food to a food distribution organisation shall not bear civil or criminal liability for damage caused by reason of the food donation if that person acted in accordance with the provisions of any law applicable to them and was not negligent.
(b)A food distribution organisation that transports, holds or distributes food donations, as well as its employees and volunteers, shall not bear civil or criminal liability for damage caused by reason of the transport, holding or distribution of food donations if they acted in accordance with the provisions of any law applicable to them and were not negligent.

Duty to donate surplus food§

2a.
(a)A public body that provides catering services, whether by itself or through a person on its behalf, to those who enter its gates, including its employees and recipients of services from it, shall not unreasonably refuse a request by a food distribution organisation to enter into an arrangement with it for the purpose of collecting surplus food from its premises, provided that all of the following conditions are met:
(1)the scope of catering services provided at those premises by one or more public bodies is at least 500 portions per working day;
(2)the food distribution organisation has attached to its request a declaration pursuant to section 15 of the Evidence Ordinance [New Version], 5731-1971, stating that it has established internal procedures to ensure food safety, including with respect to the type of food to be donated, and undertaking to maintain the safety of the donated food in accordance with the Food Law;
(3)the collection of the surplus food does not impose any direct additional cost on the public body.
(b)A public body shall notify a food distribution organisation that has requested to enter into an arrangement with it of its reasoned decision on the request within 60 days of the date of its submission.
(c)The provisions of subsection (a) applicable to the refusal of a request shall apply, with the necessary modifications, also to a public body's decision to terminate its arrangement with a food distribution organisation.
(d)Where a food distribution organisation has entered into an arrangement with a public body for the purpose of collecting surplus food from its premises, it shall provide to the public body and to the person supplying catering services on its behalf, if any, by 31 January of each year, written confirmation of the following with respect to the food it collected from the public body's premises in the calendar year preceding that date:
(1)the quantity of food it collected;
(2)the proportion of the food collected that was used out of the total food collected, and the principal uses made of the food.
(e)In an arrangement between a public body and a food distribution organisation for the purpose of collecting surplus food from the public body's premises, the public body, or the person supplying catering services on its behalf, if any, as the case may be, shall also be regarded for the purposes of this Law as having donated the food.
(f)The responsible Minister may prescribe in a procedure the following:
(1)adaptations in the implementation of the provisions of this section in relation to a security body; adaptations relating to food safety require the consent of the Minister of Health;
(2)an exemption for certain units within a security body from the provisions of this section, for security reasons, provided that the validity of the exemption shall be for a period not exceeding one year at a time.
(g)The Minister of Finance, with the approval of the Labour and Welfare Committee of the Knesset, may prescribe provisions regarding the arrangement between a public body and a food distribution organisation for the purpose of collecting surplus food from the public body's premises.

Certificate of appreciation for food donor§

3.
(a)In order to encourage the donation of food to food distribution organisations, the Minister of Health shall, in accordance with criteria that the Minister shall prescribe, award certificates of appreciation to businesses and public bodies that donate food.
(b)Certificates of appreciation as referred to in subsection (a) shall be awarded once a year to businesses and public bodies that have demonstrated that they donate food to food distribution organisations, all in accordance with the criteria prescribed pursuant to this section.
(c)Criteria pursuant to this section shall be published in Reshumot (Official Gazette) and on the website of the Ministry of Health.
(d)The list of businesses and public bodies to which certificates of appreciation have been awarded shall be published on the website of the Ministry of Health.

Commencement§

4.

Section 3 shall commence on the 4th day of Tevet 5780 (1 January 2020).

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