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