France has published a list of fruits and vegetables that are banned from selling in plastic packaging from January 1, 2022. The list includes peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, carrots, apples, pears, plums, mangoes, citrus fruits and other fruits and vegetables.
The ban on plastic packaging is part of a multi-year program to phase out plastic in France, where plastic straws, cups and cutlery, and styrofoam take-out boxes have already disappeared from use last year. Disposable plates that are used to consume food in fast food restaurants will be banned from January 2023.
“We usewe have an extremely large amount of disposable plastic in our daily life ", - said in a statement by the Ministry of Economy, Ecology and Agriculture. They estimate that about 37% of fruits and vegetables in France are packaged.
Fruit and vegetable sellers and suppliers have criticized the ban, citing the fact that food packaging accounts for a small percentage of all plastic packaging in the country.
They predict the transition could be difficult, as customers don't want other customers to touch their products, and cardboard is inferior to plastic in terms of strength and durability.