Lune de Miel, Miel l'Apiculteur… UFC-Que Choisir accuses honey specialist Famille Michaud of “French washing” and files a complaint

The consumer defense association UFC-Que Choisir announced that it had filed a complaint against the company Famille Michaud Apiculteurs, accused of “French washing” on its honey pots.

French washing on honey pots? The UFC-Que Choisir announced this Wednesday that it had filed a complaint with the Paris judicial court against Famille Michaud Apiculteurs, denouncing a “misleading commercial practice” on the origin of the honeys.

According to the consumer defense association, which speaks of “French washing”, the company uses “artificial marketing” to “Frenchize” mixtures of French and foreign or even “simply imported” honeys.

Volunteers from UFC-Que Choisir carried out an investigation in supermarkets, during which jars of honey were found whose packaging “suggests that it is exclusively French honey”, when in fact it is honey. partially or totally foreign, explains the association in its press release. “Several products” from the company Famille Michaud Apiculteurs, known for the Lune de Miel, Miel l’Apiculteur and Famille Michaud brands, are affected, she specifies.

“Overvalued” mentions

The association deplores that, on certain products, the mentions of the French origin of the company and the location in the Pyrenees of the potting are “overvalued” on the packaging, even though they are honeys. imported from foreign countries. Furthermore, on other products, she points out the use of a mention “honey from our terroirs” associated with the visual reminiscent of a French village, as well as a map of France on the lid, for honey harvested in left for Spain.

In addition, “the exact origin of the products is often relegated to small characters on the back of the jars or even on the cap and via abbreviations that are sometimes difficult to understand,” adds the association.

Enough to harm “clear, fair and transparent information for consumers”, according to UFC-Que Choisir. The traceability of the origin of honey sold in supermarkets is a question regularly raised by French beekeepers and consumer associations. The indication of all countries of origin in a mixture of honey packaged in France has been mandatory since spring 2022. The European Union is also preparing a similar measure.