Sale of fresh fruits and vegetables: no more plastic packaging!

Initially, it was planned that from January 1st, 2022, retail businesses offering unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables for sale would no longer be able to display them in packaging composed of all or part of plastic material. But this measure, introduced by the Anti-Waste Law of February 10, 2020, could not enter into force because its implementing decree had been cancelled by the Council of State(1).

As a result, a new decree, which entered into force on July 1st, was published. It specifies the detailed rules for the application of this new obligation and stipulates, among other things, the list of fruit and vegetables which are not subject to the prohibition.

Thus, as of July 1st, 2023, “unprocessed” fresh fruits, and vegetables, i.e., those sold raw, or that have undergone a simple preparation such as cleaning, trimming, draining, or drying, can no longer be offered for sale in plastic packaging.

Attention: To allow the disposal of packaging stocks, the fruits and vegetables concerned may continue to be sold in plastic packaging until December 31st, 2023.

The plastic packaging concerned by the prohibition refers to containers, outer casings and fasteners covering fruit and vegetables in whole or in part to constitute a unit of sale for the consumer.

Note: The elastics necessary for the grouping of several small fruits or vegetables, such as those offered for sale with tops (radishes, carrots, etc.) or aromatic herbs, remain authorized.

Exempted fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables that present a risk of deterioration when sold in bulk are exempt from the ban, without time limit (contrary to what was provided for in the annulled decree). Thus, the fruits and vegetables below may continue to be sold in plastic packaging:
- endives, asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, early potatoes, early carrots, and small carrots.
- salad, lamb’s lettuce, young shoots, aromatic herbs, spinach, sorrel, edible flowers, mung bean shoots.
- cherries, cranberries, lingonberries and physalis.
- ripe fruits, i.e., fruit sold to the final consumer at full maturity, and the packaging of which is presented for sale indicates such a statement.
- sprouted seeds.
- raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, currants, Otaheite gooseberry, surette and gooseberry, blackcurrants, and kiwis.

(1) Conseil d’État (Supreme Administrative Court in France)