The prime minister wrote on his social media account: "Some things will break even the most patient of camels' backs."

"When forming the government, we agreed — things should be simpler, faster, with less bureaucracy; a leaner and more efficient state. One new idea every month, about taxes and new requirements, is not the route we should be taking. Something has to give. Enough is enough," the head of government went on.

Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo (Reform) agreed such additional regulations were an unnecessary burden, saying: "No reasonable person wants to live in a 'nanny state' in which everything has to be explained on labels, and regulated just in case people are not capable of thinking for themselves."

"Vice versa — people are indeed capable of thinking for themselves, while free individuals must also take responsibility for their actions. The state does not need to make every single decision for them. A person is a better master of their own choices than is the state," Keldo added.

"So let's leave room for businesspeople to engage in business and for officials to focus on that substantive work that helps move life forward in Estonia," he concluded.

Michal and Keldo were responding to reports earlier on Wednesday that the Ministry of Regional and Agricultural Affairs, headed by Minister Piret Hartman (SDE), had plans in place to regulate the information required for the donation of loose-packaged food in the near future.

The information would include donors' personal data and allergy information relating to the specific product.

A ministry food safety department spokesperson said this would provide consumers with more accurate information about the food they consume while adding another goal of the change is also to reduce bureaucracy.

Head of a food retailers' lobby group said that the extra administration would curb sellers' motivation and ability to donate food, however.

Food banks such as Toidupank rely heavily on foodstuffs donated from supermarkets and stores, usually unsold items that still have a shelf life.

The ministry regulation would only apply to loose-packaged food, such as salads obtained at a food counter, and not to pre-packaged food.

The development also comes at a time when public reliance on food banks has been climbing in the wake of the wave of crises to have emerged through the 2020s so far.

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