France bans plastic packaging for fruits, vegetables

Environmentalists have long campaigned against single-use plastics as pollution worsens globally while President Emmanuel Macron has backed the move defending a "pragmatic" approach.

Beginning Saturday, leeks, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, apples, pears and about 30 other items will no longer be sold in plastic, to the dismay of the sector's packaging industry. Instead, they should be wrapped in other recyclable materials.

Plastic will still be allowed for more fragile fruits such as berries and peaches but is to be gradually banned in the coming years.

The October decree covers for example the sale of apples under 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lbs).

However, the full legislation will not be applied until 2026, allowing firms to adapt, including on the sale of red fruits considered fragile. Six months has also been granted to use up existing plastic packaging stocks.

"We were never consulted," complained Laurent Grandin, head of the fruit and vegetable sector's Interfel association.

He told the Agence France-Presse (AFP) the costs were "insurmountable" for small companies who would have to keep using plastic to protect exports, notably to Britain, a major client for apples.

Pomanjou produces up to 40,000 tons of apples annually in the Loire valley and has over the last three years introduced 100% cardboard packing.

However, packing costs have as a result soared 20% to 30%, said company representative Arnaud de Puineuf.

Big supermarket group Casino said it will now sell tomatoes in cardboard packaging and provide customers with paper or cellulose bags.

The packaging companies say the Oct. 8 decree caught them by surprise, particularly the ban on recycled plastics.

"We have client firms ... who will have to stop their fruit and vegetable packing activity, even though they have been working on alternatives using less plastic or recycled plastic for several years," said a statement from the Elipso association that represents manufacturers.

The government said the new regulation is expected to eliminate about 1 billion items of plastic waste per year.

Magazines and other publications will also need to be shipped without plastic wrapping, and fast-food restaurants will no longer be allowed to offer free plastic toys to children.

'Market distortion'

Elipso and Polyvia, a union representing 3,500 firms making packaging, have appealed to France's State Council, which has jurisdiction over administrative disputes, against what they say is a distortion of European markets as the ban applies solely to France.

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Source: Daily Sabah