DECRYPTION – Impatiently awaited by the French poultry and meat sectors, the obligation to mention the origin of meat in restaurants and canteens in France will come into force on March 1.
According to a decree published Thursday, out-of-home catering professionals will have to indicate on their cards, or on the label of their products, the origin of the pieces of poultry, mutton or pork they serve. This was already the case for beef for about twenty years, after the mad cow scandal.
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Initially, this obligation will be reserved for items purchased unprocessed, and those already prepared or cooked. Collective catering (hospitals, canteens, company canteens, etc.) will also be subject to this obligation. Promised for three years, and recorded in September by Julien Denormandie, this measure was well received by Interbev, the livestock and meat interprofession. “It will allow consumers to finally have access to the origin of all the meat purchased raw by restaurateurs, and therefore to promote the French origin”, underlines a spokesperson.
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The sectors believe that this transparency is essential to succeed in reducing the share of imported meat volumes. In fact, unlike supermarkets, where the French origin is widespread, 60% of the poultry consumed in catering comes from countries with cost prices two to three times lower (Brazil, Ukraine, etc.) “And this rate is rises to more than 80% for standard chicken, ”explains the Young Farmers union. But, on the side of restaurateurs, the fear remains great to see, with this measure, the bill for chicken fries soar. In collective catering, we fear to face an insoluble financial equation when the price constraints of the meal do not sometimes exceed 2 euros.