Regulating food waste in bangladesh’s food manufacturing sector: Comparative and theoretical insights from the United States and the European Union

This paper examines the regulation of food waste within the food manufacturing and processing sector in Bangladesh, with a focus on its alignment with global sustainability objectives. Approximately one-fifth of the food intended for human consumption is either wasted or lost globally, resulting in significant economic, ecological, and societal impacts. This research intends to establish a regulatory framework that is contextually relevant and rooted in theory, specifically for Bangladesh. The study adopts a qualitative and comparative research methodology, employing both documentary and doctrinal analysis. It extensively investigates core legal materials, such as laws, policies, and regulatory systems, complemented by secondary literature, including academic research, institutional documentation, and statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Food Programme, and national governmental organizations. The comparative analysis highlights the regulatory strategies of the United States and the European Union, where consumer-focused regulations, financial incentives, and public-private collaborations have been successful, in contrast to Bangladesh’s fragmented regulatory regime. The study is grounded in theoretical perspectives derived from Command-and-Control Theory, Economic Incentive Theory, Game Theory, and Responsive Regulation Theory to inform the interpretation of the results. The findings indicate that Bangladesh lacks a cohesive framework for addressing food waste as a distinct regulatory issue. This paper advocates for a comprehensive legal framework that incorporates global best practices and strategies tailored to local conditions, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. • Analyses food-waste regulation in Bangladesh’s food manufacturing sector • Uses qualitative doctrinal and comparative methods across the US, the EU, and Bangladesh • Applies regulatory theories to assess food-waste governance frameworks • Identifies major legal and institutional gaps in Bangladesh’s food-waste regime • Proposes a theory-informed regulatory framework aligned with SDGs for Bangladesh