Less plastic for fruit and vegetables in France

France aims to reduce the use of plastic in supermarkets. The government has published a list of 30 types of fresh fruit and vegetables that must be sold without plastic packaging from1 January this year.

The list of fruit includes apples, pears, bananas, oranges, clementines, kiwis, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, plums, melons, pineapples, mangoes, passion fruit and persimmons, while for vegetables the list includes leeks, courgettes, aubergines, peppers, cucumbers, ‘normal’ potatoes and carrots, round tomatoes, ‘normal’ onions and turnips, cabbage, cauliflower, pumpkin, parsnips, radishes and root vegetables.

In France an estimated 37% of fruit and vegetables sold come in packaging and the new measure is expected to avoid the use of over one billion pieces of plastic packaging per year.
The regulation also states that cut fruit and a limited number of delicate fruit and vegetables can still be sold in plastic packaging, but that this will be phased out by June 2026.

By the end of June 2023, plastic packaging will be banned for cherry tomatoes, green beans and peaches; by the end of 2024, the same will apply for endives, asparagus, mushrooms, certain salads, herbs and cherries; and finally, 30 June 2026 will be the deadline for raspberries, strawberries and other berries.