From the canteen to the restaurant, the origin of meat compulsory in France from March 1 – BFM Business

From March 1, all meat offered in restaurants or in canteens must have a mention of origin as for beef.

Knowing if your chicken breast comes from Ukraine or France in your neighborhood bistro: from March 1, mentioning the origin of meat served outside your home in France becomes mandatory.

Twenty years after the labeling imposed on beef in restaurants, a legacy of the mad cow crisis, this obligation extends to poultry, sheep and pork, according to a decree published Thursday in the Official Journal.

“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 (pork interprofession).

Same satisfaction from the interprofession of flesh poultry Anvol whose director Yann Nédélec welcomes “the result of a long fight in the sector”.

This labeling must mention the country of origin and that of breeding. It applies to “meat purchased raw by restaurateurs and not to meat purchased already prepared or cooked”, according to the decree.

This obligation concerns all out-of-home catering, that is to say school canteens, companies, hospitals or nursing homes, such as commercial restaurants.

It’s a small revolution on the plates: visiting the National School of Meat Trades in Paris, Ministers Julien Denormandie (Agriculture and Food) and Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne (Tourism and SMEs) welcomed the a major step forward for traceability, a legitimate request from citizens, likely to raise awareness of the quality of nutrition and strengthen short circuits.

“A Brazilian or Ukrainian chicken has nothing to do with a French chicken, which is valid for all farmed meats”, declared Julien Denormandie, recalling that currently, “more than 50% of the meat in canteens is imported poultry”.

Next step, the nuggets?

“We are pioneers”, added Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, hoping “to 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, it was specified to the ministry.

One in two chickens is imported

The sectors are delighted with a decision which will make it possible to “promote French meat and fight against imports”, affirms Anne Richard, at a time when the pork sector is going through an acute crisis forcing breeders to sell at a loss. due to the increase in production costs over the past year. Poultry, which held up better and took advantage of the holiday season, is also facing very tough competition.

“In France, one in two chickens is imported and in catering this rises to 60%, and almost 80% when counting processed products”, recalled Yann Nédélec.

Arguments heard by the Minister of Agriculture, who campaigns for the country’s food sovereignty within a Europe that he wants to see the adoption of protective measures of a certain quality standard against cheaper but lower-priced products both nutritionally and environmentally.

“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 both “economic and gastronomic”, he underlines. And this is only a first step, assures the government.

“An upcoming decree will concern processed products, such as nuggets”, promised Julien Denormandie, without giving a date.

And beyond meat, said Mr. Lemoyne, the “dynamic will increase with a similar decree in a few months which concerns the brewing of beers”.