Starting January 1, 2022, France will ban the sale of fruits and vegetables in plastic packaging or with plastic stickers.
The initiative was adopted under the law on waste reduction and the transition to a closed-loop economy.
It is clarified that the ban will not affect products weighing more than 1,5 kg and large consignments of fruits and vegetables that deteriorate faster without plastic packaging. The government will establish a list of such goods in the summer of 2020.
In addition, from January 1, 2022, France will prohibit the use of plastic labels on fruits and vegetables themselves. All labels must be made of compostable materials or paper. The ban will affect not only French fruit producers, but also exporters who supply their products to the French fresh market. This, in particular, is about the exporters of Spain. According to the Ministry of Agriculture of France, Spain annually exports to France, vegetables and fruits in the amount of 3 billion euros. More fruits and vegetables in the country supplies only Germany.