The French Apple Pear Association (ANPP) is denouncing cases of fraud involving foreign pears sold as French, following the discovery of two cases in the Ile-de-France region.
© ANPP
Pears from Belgium and possibly the Netherlands
The discovery follows a series of clues passed on to ANPP around the 6th and 7th of December, explains Pierre Venteau, its director. "The results are clear-cut." Two French companies have been identified for marketing foreign pears as French. "The facts are serious: imported pears, bought at low prices, were resold at the price of the French origin, to the detriment of French producers and misleading consumers," according to ANPP. The pears inspected came mainly from Belgium, but possibly also from the Netherlands. "With such a wide price gap between Belgian and French pears, it was obvious that this could not continue," explains Pierre Venteau. For the same variety and size, "the pears in question were being sold at up to 60 eurocents [0.70 USD] below the French price."
"A vast control plan to combat francization"
Last September, ANPP announced that it was relaunching "a vast inspection plan to combat francization". With the arrival of the Conference variety and, to a lesser extent, the Comice, and against a backdrop of abundant supply from Belgium and the Netherlands, the francization of pears is once again a topical issue." The control plan is based on a specific analysis method that can "confirm or deny the geographical origin of pears and apples with a high degree of reliability." The association also called on French distributors "to report any offers of French origin at knock-down prices so that targeted analyses can be carried out."
© ANPP
Referral to DGCCRF
The two companies have been reported to the regional fraud control authorities and the distributors concerned have been informed. ANPP "strongly condemns this fraud, which undermines market transparency, consumer confidence and the fair remuneration of French producers." The association "reserves the right to take any legal action necessary against the fraudulent operators." It is also calling on all retailers "to assume their responsibilities" and guarantee fair information on the origin of the fruit on their shelves.
For more information:
Association Nationale Pommes Poires
6 rue de Lyon - 75012 Paris
Phone: +33 (0)1 53 10 27 80
Fax: +33 (0)1 53 10 27 88
[email protected]
www.lapomme.org
