France Ripe For Niche Markets
22 February 2006 Socio-economic and demographic changes have significantly altered food trends in France, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service (USDA-FAS). Trends show that French consumers desire food products offering better taste, increased health benefits, and more convenience.
Among the trends observed by USDA-FAS is that food safety scares have raised consumer concerns about sanitation and safety issues. In turn, these concerns have led to greater demand for “natural” and “organic” food products, including fruit juices, fresh and processed dietetic foods, organic produce, fish and seafood products, ethnic foods, and food supplements.
Due to the population’s food concerns, many initiatives have shaped the country’s food industry that increase the demand for organic foods and other perceived value-added foods.
While many consumers and distributors are receptive to new developments in food products, they want more information on product contents and manufacturing processes. France has labeling requirements for both domestically-produced and imported food products containing genetically-modified products or biotech-derived ingredients or additives.
After the different food scares, the French Government encouraged the development of quality marks such as “Label Rouge”(Red Label) for meats, poultry and fruits and vegetables, which guarantee production under established conditions and product origin labels which guarantee that, for instance, certain wines, milk, butter, or cheeses are sourced from a certain region.
The government also continues a certification program which guarantees that product preparation, manufacturing and packaging processes follow certain specifications. These quality and origin marks have been well received by French consumers who support guarantees in the products they consume. The organic food program certifies that agricultural and food products were manufactured without chemical fertilizers and according to special criteria. The government of France recently launched a new development program hoping to make France a European leader in organic agriculture.
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