Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's administration is working on an initiative to replace the buffet system in hotels with an à la carte menu. The proposal aims to reduce food waste in the tourism industry.

The corresponding report is being developed by the Council for Agricultural and Food Policy under the presidential administration, the Turkish newspaper Sabah reports. Instead of the usual "all inclusive" system, it is proposed to introduce a format in which tourists will order as much food as they can eat.

The initiative is based on data from the Turkish Waste Prevention Foundation, which estimates that the country disposes of around 23 million tons of food waste each year, with around 35% of fruits and vegetables being thrown away before they reach consumers' tables.

Council member Ramazan Bingöl noted that half of the all-inclusive breakfasts remain uneaten. "Waste increases even more as the number of people increases. For example, three or four people can easily eat their fill from a breakfast for two. Food that is put on a plate but not touched goes straight into the trash," he explained.

ATOR also emphasized that this is not the first time that such initiatives by the Turkish authorities have been voiced, and the organization is ready for a "new wave of rumors" on this issue.