The French government has adopted a new decree that will stipulate which fruits and vegetables may continue to be sold in plastic packaging. The new regulations were published in the Official Gazette of the French Republic on June 21 and took effect on 1 July. A transition period, during which existing inventories can be drawn down, will apply until December 31, 2023.
France's 2020 Anti-waste and Circular Economy Law prohibits the sale of fresh, unprocessed fruit and vegetables in packaging made wholly or partly of plastic. The new decree (No. 2023-478) defines the exceptions to the general ban, which include produce sold in batches of more than 1.5 kg as well as any of the highly perishable fruits and vegetables named in the decree. The implementation of a previous version of the legislation was blocked by the Commission until December 15, 2023....
