Camembert de Normandie made with a ladle-molded raw milk (PDO terroir du Cotentin) -
© Coyau / Wikimedia CC BY-SA 3.0
After several years of fighting, the Norman Camembert producers have just won a battle.
Since January 1, it is forbidden to affix the words "made in Normandy" on this cheese, reports
Le Figaro
.
This mention created confusion with camemberts "from Normandy", benefiting from the controlled label of origin (PDO) since 1996. This designation implies compliance with precise specifications to which only a few local producers met.
Do not "usurp" PDOs
It was the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) which made this decision.
“Product labeling must not be of such a nature as to mislead the consumer and of such a nature as to usurp protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications,” she explained last July.
Manufacturers had until the end of 2020 to "bring their labeling into conformity".
60,000 tonnes of camembert were sold with the designation “made in Normandy”, compared to the 6,000 tonnes of camembert actually “from Normandy”.
Several consultations had been carried out with producers and manufacturers, without any agreement being found.
“The word Normandy is a selling point that speaks to consumers looking for a Camembert made in this region,” explains the National Institute of Origin and Quality (Inao).
According to him, the cheeses marketed under the name “made in Normandy” did not respect the specifications and only had the advantage of having been produced in the region.
Strasbourg
Vosges: The cheese so aptly named "Le confined" is doing well
Gastronomy
From Swiss mountain pastures to tables around the world, the tasty history of raclette
Producer
Society
Food
Cheese
Dgccrf