The trick of the French origin, what is the government tackling?

Barthélémy Phillipe // Credits: ROMAIN DOUCELIN / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP 8:08 a.m., February 2, 2024

The “French origin” label cannot be overused. Bruno Le Maire decided to flex his muscles. In the wake of announcements from Gabriel Attal, the Minister of the Economy deplored the lack of transparency, even the deception, of certain manufacturers and distributors concerning the "French origin" label which could mislead consumers about the origin of the products. foodstuffs. Bercy announced that 10,000 checks will be carried out by fraud repression. 

Among distributors and producers, there are those who really cheat. Some do not hesitate to display French origin labels on tomatoes coming straight from Morocco. Others stick a tricolor flag on their products to suggest that they come from France. “When a chicken is presented with a French flag on the packaging, the consumer is justified in thinking that it was produced in France,” indicates Bruno Le Maire. 

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A regulatory void 

Consumers are penalized by a regulatory void around processed products. For sandwiches or pizzas, mentioning the origin is not obligatory. A lack of transparency which outrages Jean-Michel Shaeffer, president of the national broiler poultry association. “The cordon bleu, if it is processed, the meat that will be used in it can come from everywhere. We do not have the guarantee that the chicken is produced with the same production standards as here.” 

So that consumers are no longer deceived, the government promises to lead a fight at European level. For those who cheat, Bruno Le Maire threatens to implement sanctions of up to 10% of their turnover.