Senators on Friday rejected a measure in the social security budget aimed at making the display of the Nutri-score mandatory on food packaging, following the government's opinion that it is contrary to European standards.
By 212 votes to 117, the upper house opposed an article introduced in the National Assembly in early November.
The measure proposed to generalize the Nutri-score on packaging, this food rating scale ranging from A to E.
Companies that refuse to display this information will be penalized with a tax of 5% on their turnover, the proceeds of which will be allocated to Health Insurance.
"Information, yes; taxation, no," justified Republican Senator Laurent Somon.
Health Minister Stéphanie Rist also supported the removal of this measure, citing an "incompatibility with European law".
The left regretted this step backwards, especially since the abolition of this measure had been rejected on Saturday in the Social Affairs committee.
"It is widely proven that the Nutri-score changes behaviors in the right direction, particularly for children's diets. Generalizing it is a real public health tool," stressed Senator Bernard Jomier (Socialist group).
The consumer association UFC-Que Choisir expressed its "disappointment" because it considers this "a tool for consumer protection." "Once again, the Senate has chosen to defend industrial interests rather than public health, and that's a problem," it added in a statement to AFP.
This vote is far from final as debates on this social security budget will continue between the two houses of Parliament until the beginning of December at the earliest.
The senators also adopted a tax on alcoholic energy drinks, specifically targeting new products particularly popular with young people, such as the "Vody" drink.
This tax, which had already been adopted by the deputies, was broadened by the senators to take into account certain drinks mixing strong alcohol with sweet ingredients and flavourings.
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