This Thursday, the UFC-Que Choisir magazine makes its front page on “extra virgin” olive oils sold in stores in France. More than one in two would not comply because they do not meet the criteria required in this category! Worse: of the 26 references scrutinized by the association, some were quite simply “rancid and moldy”.
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More broadly, cheating on the composition or the origin of olive oil is a well-known summer scam, which pays big dividends. And it is not the only one, the local specialties making the happiness of the tourists wishing to bring back some memories of their holidays in France. What should you be aware of? We tell you everything about 7 products.
1 / olive oil
First hint: in markets and street vendors, check that olive oil is stored in the shade. On the label, track down the words “EU origin” or “oils from Europe”, synonymous that you are dealing with an import product (Spain, Greece, Italy …). There are less than ten French PDOs or AOCs (Protected or Controlled Designations of Origin): Aix-en-Provence, Corsica, Provence, Haute-Provence, Baux-de-Provence valley, Nice, Nîmes and Nyons . These regional oils are negotiated around 15 to 25 euros per liter. If the displayed price is well below, it is a bad sign.
2 / honey
The majority of honey consumed in France is imported (Spain, China, Argentina, Hungary …) because we eat four times more than our production. To make sure of a “made in France” jar, look for the words “harvested in France” or “potted by the beekeeper” with the readable address of the producer on the back or else a PDO (honey from Corsica, Vosges fir honey …). Here again, the tariff should alert you. It takes between 10 and 30 euros per kilo for an artisanal uncut honey with imported honeys. The repression of fraud estimated in 2015 that nearly one in two “first-price” honey (around 5 euros per kilo) was non-compliant and one in ten had been subjected to additions of sugars, from cane and corn, or water.
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3 / Marseille soap
According to the Repression of Fraud, 9 out of 10 Marseille soaps sold in France come from China. To avoid being plucked, choose it in the shape of a cube, brown or green, without coloring or perfume, with an imprint on each side, the logo of one of the official soap factories (Marius Fabre, La Savonnerie Fer à Cheval, La Savonnerie du Midi, Le Sérail …) or the mention of the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).
4 / The herbs of Provence
Beware of Provence herbs grown in Poland (thyme), Morocco (oregano) or Turkey (lavender) which have only been assembled or processed by a local company. On the stalls, examine the color – the mixture should still be quite green – and the appearance of the bags. If they have like dust at the bottom, it is because the herbs have been crushed and have traveled: they have therefore grown far from the scrubland.
5 / The nougat
Counterfeit nougat from Montélimar, which has an AOC, are numerous, while its recipe must contain at least 25% honey and 30% almonds (or 28% almonds and 2% pistachios). About fifteen industrial or artisanal companies manufacture it: Chaudron d’or, Chabert et Guyot, France nougat, Trois Abeilles, Delavant, Soubeyran … Its tasty taste costs 30 to 45 euros per kilo depending on the house. An amount below which it will surely be a copy.
6 / The cold cuts
Corsican charcuterie? 90% of the production is made from imported pigs and then processed on the Île de Beauté. To avoid entourloupes, check the labels because only three varieties benefit from the AOC label: prisuttu, coppa and lonzu. If you are looking for figatelli, be aware that it is made during the fall / winter period. Same for “Savoyard” or “Auvergne” sausages sold in batches for 10 euros. At that price, they are far from authentic.
7 / Cheeses
Some cheeses that appear authentic are only mixtures of local cheeses and industrial pasta … Check the PDOs and the AOCs (Picodon, Comté, Morbier, Beaufort, Mont d’Or, Bleu de Gex, Reblochon, Tome des Bauges). , Fourme de Montbrison …). The same goes for butters (Charentes-Poitou butter or Charentes butter, Deux-Sèvres butter, Bresse butter …) or creams (Isigny cream, Bresse cream …).
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