This is a decision that risks weighing heavily on the Camembert industry in France. Monday December 4, 2023, the Council of State reinstated an old obligation for non-AOP camemberts. They will now be forced to remove references to Normandy which appear on their packaging, as revealed The informed the same day. The different brands of Camemberts affected by this decision are Lanquetot, Cœur de Lion and Le Rustique. The first is manufactured by the Orbec cheese factory, a subsidiary of the giant Lactalis, while the other two are produced by the Compagnie des fromages and Richesmonts, a subsidiary of the Savencia group. As a reminder, the “camembert war” has been raging within the cheese industry for several years. The latter pits small producers of AOP Camemberts against manufacturers of industrial Camemberts, like those previously mentioned. According to the law, only AOP Camemberts have the right to use the name “Camembert de Normandie”.
“War of the Camembert”: the Lanquetot brand will be able to retain its Norman coat of arms
Therefore, Camemberts made from pasteurized milk could not have the words “Camembert de Normandie” on their packaging. However, industrialists had angered small producers by affixing the words “made in Normandy” to their Camemberts, thus maintaining a certain ambiguity towards consumers. The General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) had already ruled in favor of small producers in 2020. Thus, the name “made in Normandy” was reserved only to Camemberts respecting the AOP specifications. Forced to modify the packaging of their products, however, manufacturers continued to play on ambiguity. They multiplied the inscriptions in reference to Normandy, such as “made in Orne” or “with good Norman milk”. In its recent decision, the Council of State, however, clarified that the Norman coat of arms used by Lanquetot could be preserved. On the other hand, the term “made in Normandy” must be removed from the brand’s packaging. The Council of State must also decide in another case concerning the President’s pie charts. To be continued.