First in the World • First Carrefour Bio

WELCOME TO EDITION 764 of GRAPEVINE

First in the World
On 3 February 2016, France became the first country in the world to ban supermarkets from throwing or destroying unsold food, forcing them instead to donate them to charities and food banks.

The law was passed unanimously.

It followed a grassroots campaign in by French shoppers, anti-poverty campaigners and people opposed to food waste.

Supermarkets were/are also not allowed to deliberately spoil food in order to stop it from being eaten by people foraging in their bins outside the stores.

That followed growing numbers of families, students, unemployed and homeless people in France foraging in supermarket bins at night to feed themselves, and who had found edible products thrown out just as their best-before dates approached.

First Carrefour Bio
This is the first Carrefour Bio all-organic supermarket store in France. It was opened in 2013.

Situated at 29 Boulevard Diederot (corner of rue Legraverend), Carrefour Bio is not far from the front of Gare de Lyon. The store is open daily from 8 am to 9 pm, except Sunday when it closes at 1 pm.

The fruits, vegetables, drinks, bread, baby pampers and cat food are all organic. The rubbish bags are not, but they are recycleable.

The champagne I bought was delicious (see Champagne of the Week).

Wishing you A Very Good Week.