Europe 1 with AFP 7:25 p.m., November 15, 2022

During an interview with Franceinfo, the Minister of Ecological Transition Christophe Béchu was moved by the place of production of the plush toys for the mascots for the Paris Olympics in 2024. These will almost all be produced in China.

"A problem" for the minister. 

The Minister of Ecological Transition Christophe Béchu estimated on Tuesday that the manufacture in China of almost all the stuffed animals serving as mascots for the Paris 2024 Olympics was "a problem", at the microphone of franceinfo.

The organizers of the Olympic Games unveiled their mascots on Monday, two Phrygian caps called "Phryges", red in color, which will arrive this week in the official merchandise store located in the Halles district, in the heart of Paris.

These soft toys will be made in China for almost all, "like the vast majority of soft toys sold in France", had underlined the organizers of the Paris Olympics.

The contract has been entrusted to the French companies Gipsy and Doudou et Compagnie, which share it.

Unlike Gipsy, which manufactures in China, Doudou et Compagnie plans to produce 15% of its quota in its factory in Guerche-de-Bretagne (Ille-et-Vilaine) which will expand for the occasion.

In this factory, the upholstery, assembly and sewing will be carried out, but the raw materials and the preparation of the spare parts will come from China.

"Correct" shooting

In total, 8% of the stuffed animals should be made in France, the organizing committee (Cojo) said on Monday.

Asked about this Chinese production, the Minister for Ecological Transition replied to the journalist: "If this is the case, there is a problem. You teach me".

"I want to believe that we still have a few months before the Olympics are held to be able to correct the subject," continued Christophe Béchu.

“We are not going to end up, when we explain that we need short circuits and relocate, with a production of mascots that is done at the end of the world, including when we defend the perspective of fighting against global warming”, insisted the minister.

"We have known since 2017 that the Olympic Games will take place in Paris in 2024" and "we had plenty of time to anticipate and plan the relocation of the sectors concerned", noted Gilles Attaf, president of the association "Origine France Garantie “, calling the situation “nonsense” and “a real scandal”.

"Send a Signal"

"We could have taken advantage of these mascots to send a signal, to launch a major reindustrialization project," said the association in a press release, adding that "if we have the capacity to produce in large quantities, we are able to reduce costs and to be competitive".

The employers' movement Ethic for its part evoked an "insult to all French companies" and an "international and economic slap that we give to ourselves", believing that it was "still time to launch French manufacturing " .

The Cojo is counting on two million copies of stuffed animals sold.

In addition to the official online store and that of Les Halles, the mascots will be marketed at Carrefour, sponsor of the Olympic Games, and in specialized toy stores.