Takeaways in France will soon have to show where their meat comes from
It has been a requirement for sit-down restaurants since 2022. But it is now being extended to takeaways on a trial basis
Companies that sell takeaways to collect or/and deliver in France will soon be required to display all meat and poultry origin details clearly
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Unidentifiable meat in takeaways and a lack of clarity on quality or sourcing could be a thing of the past in France.
A new law is set to make it mandatory to display the origins of meat on takeaway packaging.
From October 1, restaurants or kitchens that offer takeaways for delivery and/or collection will be required to show the country of origin of their meat, including beef, pork, poultry, and lamb, says consumer association UFC-Que Choisir.
Since March 1, 2022, sit-down restaurants have been required to make this information available. It is also the case for collective canteen sites, including schools, businesses, hospitals, and elderly care homes.
A decree on June 21, 2023, will now extend this to takeaways in a trial rollout that will run until February 29, 2024.
It will apply to meat that has been bought raw and cooked by the establishment itself, not meat that has been bought already cooked or prepared. The aim is to make it easier for consumers to be informed about the country in which the animal was raised and slaughtered.
For beef (including minced beef), the animal’s country of birth must also be displayed.
Takeaway providers that fail to display these details from October 1 will be subject to a fine of €1,500 for individuals and €7,500 for companies.
What information must be displayed?
If all three stages (birth, raising, and slaughtering) take place in the same country, the words ‘Origin: [name of country]’ are enough.
If the three stages take place in different countries, the information must be displayed as follows:
- Beef: The words ‘Born and raised: [name of country of birth and name of country(ies) of raising] and Slaughtered: [name of country of slaughter]’
- Pork, mutton, and poultry: The words ‘Raised: [name of country(ies) of raising] and slaughtered: [name of country of slaughter]”.
The information must be readily available for any customer who wishes to see it.
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