In France, to improve the quality of food products, the third government-led Public National Nutrition and Health Programme (PNNS3) called on the food industry to produce nutritionally better food.
A key aim is to increase consumption of fruit and vegetables and to limit the consumption of foods high in fat, sugar and salt by working with food processors, retailers and caterers so that nutritionally sound foods are widely available.
Since September 2005, work has been undertaken by the French Agriculture Minister with the entire food chain (manufacturers, retailers and consumers etc.) on carbohydrates (2007), fat (2009), salt (2013) and fibres (2014) to contribute to reach the objectives of the PNNS. Concretely, manufacturers can sign a ’PNNS nutrition commitment’ with the Health Minister to improve the nutritional quality of their products:
- 26 food companies signed a charter: St Hubert, Orangina-Schweppes, Unilever, Marie, Taillefine produits laitiers frais, Findus, Herta, Maggi, Davigel, P’tit Louis, Lesieur, McCain, Fleury Michon, Henaff, Kellogg’s, Nestlé céréales, La vache qui rit, Kiri, Uncle Ben’s, Thiriet, Produits de diversification infantile Nestlé, Mars Chocolat etc.
- 3 French food sectors signed collective charters: the French manufacturers of compotes, jams and fruit in syrup (FIAC); the juices and nectars sector (UNIJUS); and the meat processing sector (FICT).
