From January 1, 2022, France banned the sale of fruits and vegetables weighing less than 1.5 kg in plastic packaging, involving 30 kinds of fruits and vegetables, including bananas, pears, lemons, sweet peppers, cucumbers and carrots. In 2026, the ban will extend to all fruits and vegetables.
IIt is estimated that in France, about 37% of fruits and vegetables are packaged, and the new law encourages people to use reusable bags, preventing the use of at least 1 billion plastic packaging each year.
According to the "Anti-Waste Law" passed by France in 2020, fruits that are banned from plastic packaging from January 1, 2022 include: apples, pears, bananas, oranges, citruses, lemons, kiwis, grapefruits, plums, melons, and pineapples , Mango, passion fruit, persimmon, etc. Vegetables that are banned from plastic include leeks, zucchini, eggplant, sweet peppers, cucumbers, potatoes, radishes, carrots, water radishes, tomatoes, onions, kale, cauliflower, pumpkin, parsnips, Jerusalem artichoke and root vegetables.
The ban also applies to organic fruits and vegetables, but does not apply to processed products that have been cut or peeled, and it does not apply to fruits and vegetables that are sold in batches weighing more than 1.5 kilograms and bulk fruits and vegetables that are perishable in the open environment.
According to the French Ministry of Ecological Transformation, in order to allow businesses time to find satisfactory alternatives to “complicated situations”, the ban on plastic packaging of some fruits and vegetables can be delayed. For example, apricots, peaches, grapes, cherry tomatoes, green beans, etc. can continue to use plastic packaging, and the effective period will be extended to June 30, 2023; salad dishes, spinach, chicory, asparagus, mushrooms, cherries, cranberries, etc., will be extended to December 31, 2024; As for most berries such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and gooseberries, they will be postponed to June 30, 2026.
At present, 37% of the fruit and vegetable products in France are sold in plastic packaging. According to the French government's plan, after 2026, all these plastic packaging are expected to be discontinued. Merchants who violate the regulations can be fined up to 15,000 euros, and overdue fines are 1,500 euros per day.
