China is acting to cut down on food waste. It has started a campaign to get people to think about the amount of food they waste. It is called the "Clean Plate Campaign". President Xi Jinping wants people to reduce how much food they waste. He called the waste "shocking and distressing". There are reports in China that a food crisis is coming. Food production has decreased because of the coronavirus, and floods in southern China. The government wants people to reduce the amount of food they leave on their plate. President Xi said China had to think carefully about food security.
Many restaurants are taking the campaign seriously. One restaurant went a little too far as it started weighing customers. It had to apologise to angry diners. It said it wanted to stop food waste and for diners to order food "in a healthy way". A restaurant in Beijing said: "We remind our guests when they order too much food." Restaurants in Wuhan have started a system called N-1. A group of diners must order one fewer dish than the number of people in their group. The United Nations warned that the world could see its worst food crisis in 50 years this year.