Knowing if your chicken breast comes from Ukraine or France in your neighborhood bistro will soon be possible… From 1er March, mentioning the origin of meat served (outside the home) in France becomes mandatory. Twenty years after the labeling imposed on beef in restaurants, a corollary of the mad cow crisis, this obligation extends to poultry, sheep and pork meat, according to a decree published Thursday at Official newspaper.
This labeling must mention the country of origin and that of breeding. It applies to “meat purchased raw by restaurateurs and not meat purchased already prepared or cooked”, according to the decree. This obligation concerns all out-of-home catering, that is to say school canteens, those of companies, hospitals or nursing homes, commercial restaurants.
50% of poultry served in canteens imported
Visiting the National School of Meat Professions in Paris, Ministers Julien Denormandie (Agriculture and Food) and Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne (Tourism and SMEs) also welcomed a major step forward for traceability; a legitimate request from citizens, likely to raise awareness of the quality of nutrition and to strengthen short circuits.
“A Brazilian or Ukrainian chicken has nothing to do with a French chicken, which is valid for all farmed meats”declared Mr. Denormandie, recalling that currently “more than 50% of the meat in canteens is imported poultry”. “We are pioneers”added Mr. Lemoyne, hoping “open the way so that tomorrow Europe is in unison with France”.
The obligation is currently only applicable until February 29, 2024, during an experimental phase negotiated with the European Commission. The latter is working on a revision of the regulations at European level, which does not systematically impose the mention of the origin of foodstuffs, specifies the ministry.
Temporary obligation
The sectors are delighted with this decision. “We have been waiting for this decree for two and a half years. Citizens want to know where the meat they eat in restaurants comes from, and when it’s French, it reassures them”, reacted Anne Richard, director of Inaporc (the national pork interprofession). The same satisfaction from the interprofession of meat poultry, Anvol, whose director, Yann Nédélec, welcomes “the result of a long fight in the sector”.
This will allow to “promote French meat and fight against imports”says M.me Richard, at a time when the pork sector is going through an acute crisis forcing breeders to sell at a loss due to rising production costs for a year.
Poultry, which held up better and took advantage of the holiday season, is also facing very tough competition. “In France, one out of two chickens is imported and, in catering, this rises to 60%, and almost 80% when counting processed products”reminded Mr. Nédélec.
Processed products soon concerned
Arguments heard by the Minister of Agriculture, who is campaigning in favor of France’s food sovereignty within a Europe that he wants to see the adoption of protective measures of a certain standard of quality against cheaper but lowest from a nutritional and environmental point of view.
“In South American countries they continue to use growth antibiotics, so the nutritional intake is different and it directly affects the consumer”, he explained. This “fight for quality” is, at the same time “economical and gastronomic”he points out.
And this is only a first step, assures the government. “An upcoming decree will concern processed products, such as nuggets”, promised Mr. Denormandie, without giving a date. And beyond the meat, said Mr. Lemoyne, the “Dynamics will increase with a similar decree in a few months which concerns the brewing of beers”.