A new law banning plastic packaging on most fruit and vegetables comes into effect in France from New Year’s day.
Cucumbers, lemons and oranges are among the 30 varieties banned from being wrapped in plastic. Larger packs as well as chopped or processed fruit will be exempt. President Emmanuel Macron called the ban “a real revolution” and stated that it showed the country’s commitment to phase out single use plastics by 2040.
In a statement announcing the new law, the Environment Ministry stated that France uses an “outrageous amount” of single use plastics and that the new ban “aims at cutting back the use of throwaway plastic and boost its substitution by other materials or reusable and recycling packaging.” More than a third of fruit and vegetable products in France are thought to be sold in plastic wrapping and government officials believe that the ban could prevent a billion items of single use plastics being used every year.
