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| French supermarkets withdraw products linked to horsemeat scandal | French supermarkets withdraw products linked to horsemeat scandal |
| (7 days later) | |
| If the French had been wondering what the British were making a fuss about after horsemeat – something of a delicacy this side of the Channel – was discovered in readymeals, attitudes changed on Monday amid fears similarly mislabelled food was sold in France. | If the French had been wondering what the British were making a fuss about after horsemeat – something of a delicacy this side of the Channel – was discovered in readymeals, attitudes changed on Monday amid fears similarly mislabelled food was sold in France. |
| As ministers and officials announced a series of emergency meetings, the country's main supermarket chains withdrew Findus and other products made by Comigel, the French food company at the heart of the scandal. | As ministers and officials announced a series of emergency meetings, the country's main supermarket chains withdrew Findus and other products made by Comigel, the French food company at the heart of the scandal. |
| Auchan, Casino, Carrefour, Cora, Monoprix and Picard all removed products that were "susceptible of containing horsemeat in place of beef", the Federation of Commerce and Distribution said. | Auchan, Casino, Carrefour, Cora, Monoprix and Picard all removed products that were "susceptible of containing horsemeat in place of beef", the Federation of Commerce and Distribution said. |
| Picard, a chain specialising in high-quality frozen foods, said it had pulled two lasagne and bolognese products similar to those produced under the Findus label, and sent samples for analysis. The two products were manufactured by Comigel at its factory in Luxembourg. | Picard, a chain specialising in high-quality frozen foods, said it had pulled two lasagne and bolognese products similar to those produced under the Findus label, and sent samples for analysis. The two products were manufactured by Comigel at its factory in Luxembourg. |
| At the weekend Benoît Hamon, the consumer minister, said more products were likely to be withdrawn as Comigel had supplied several distributors. Ministers and meat industry officials were due to meet on Monday evening to discuss the issue. | At the weekend Benoît Hamon, the consumer minister, said more products were likely to be withdrawn as Comigel had supplied several distributors. Ministers and meat industry officials were due to meet on Monday evening to discuss the issue. |
| Last week there was a Gallic shrug of et alors (so what) from some commentators over the horsemeat scandal. A number were scathing of what they saw as a particularly British hysteria, blaming an emotional attachment to horses. | Last week there was a Gallic shrug of et alors (so what) from some commentators over the horsemeat scandal. A number were scathing of what they saw as a particularly British hysteria, blaming an emotional attachment to horses. |
| Le Monde's food critic Jean-Claude Ribaut suggested it was a fuss about nothing. "It's David Cameron's second success this week after his hold-up of the European budget: he's convinced the whole of Europe that horsemeat is an illicit product, dangerous for the health, that has be banned from our food at all cost," he wrote. | Le Monde's food critic Jean-Claude Ribaut suggested it was a fuss about nothing. "It's David Cameron's second success this week after his hold-up of the European budget: he's convinced the whole of Europe that horsemeat is an illicit product, dangerous for the health, that has be banned from our food at all cost," he wrote. |
| "It's an English ethnocentric attitude that applies also to rabbit, andouillette, frogs, and calves' heads. The English consider the horse a domestic animal. That's their right," he concluded, adding that horsemeat was low in fat and ideal for steak tartare. | "It's an English ethnocentric attitude that applies also to rabbit, andouillette, frogs, and calves' heads. The English consider the horse a domestic animal. That's their right," he concluded, adding that horsemeat was low in fat and ideal for steak tartare. |
| On Monday French fraud investigators arrived at the Comigel headquarters in Metz and at its meat suppliers Spanghero in the Aude region. | On Monday French fraud investigators arrived at the Comigel headquarters in Metz and at its meat suppliers Spanghero in the Aude region. |
| José Bové, a Green party MP and fierce defender of quality food who once shut down a McDonald's restaurant claiming it served malbouffe (rubbish food), said he believed the scandal was a case of fraud that required a continent-wide response. | José Bové, a Green party MP and fierce defender of quality food who once shut down a McDonald's restaurant claiming it served malbouffe (rubbish food), said he believed the scandal was a case of fraud that required a continent-wide response. |
| "Obviously there has to be an inquiry in each country, but we have to go much further. There has to be an European inquiry," he said. "Have certain people taken a chance to buy cheap meat because the price of horsemeat collapsed allowing them to make a financial coup at the expense of the consumer? In any case, I don't believe this is an error … this is something orchestrated." | "Obviously there has to be an inquiry in each country, but we have to go much further. There has to be an European inquiry," he said. "Have certain people taken a chance to buy cheap meat because the price of horsemeat collapsed allowing them to make a financial coup at the expense of the consumer? In any case, I don't believe this is an error … this is something orchestrated." |
| The French president, François Hollande, said those responsible should be punished. "There have been omissions, clearly, profits, unacceptable behaviour, and sanctions must be pronounced, both administrative and criminal, if they are warranted," he said during a visit to the Paris suburbs. | The French president, François Hollande, said those responsible should be punished. "There have been omissions, clearly, profits, unacceptable behaviour, and sanctions must be pronounced, both administrative and criminal, if they are warranted," he said during a visit to the Paris suburbs. |
| France's agriculture minister, Stéphane Le Foll, said the rules were simple: "There has to be a correspondence between the container and what's in it. It's about respecting something quite simple: what is written on the label has to conform to what is in the product." | France's agriculture minister, Stéphane Le Foll, said the rules were simple: "There has to be a correspondence between the container and what's in it. It's about respecting something quite simple: what is written on the label has to conform to what is in the product." |
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