As the end-of-year holidays approach, the Maine-et-Loire authorities are intensifying controls on the Angers Christmas market. Objective: to guarantee consumer safety and ensure the conformity of the products offered, both food and non-food.
The Angers Christmas market, an unmissable event for locals and visitors, attracts thousands of curious people every year. Between the festive stalls, the illuminated chalets and the artisanal products, the inspectors of the Departmental Directorate for Population Protection (DDPP)via the service of the competition, consumption and fraud prevention (CCRF)take care to guarantee purchases with complete peace of mind. “We mainly target compliance of food and non-food products, as well as transparency of business practices,” explains the Prefecture of Maine-et-Loire.
Foodstuffs, such as chocolates, confectionery, mulled wines or local products, are particularly scrutinized to check their labeling and traceability. Inspectors also check toys, decorations and textiles to ensure they meet current safety standards. Finally, commercial practices are scrutinized to guarantee transparency of prices and information provided to customers.
Several shortcomings noted
During this operation, more than twenty stands were inspected, half of which offered food products such as sausages, cheeses, waffles and dishes prepared on site. The other half of the stands concerned leather goods, jewelry and decorative objects. Although the vast majority of traders comply with the regulations, several shortcomings have nevertheless been noted.
“The checks made it possible to identify several infractions”specifies the Prefecture. Several warnings have been issued to remind traders of their legal obligations. A report was also drawn up against an exhibitor for using a misleading claim likely to mislead consumers.
Vigilance recommended for visitors
The authorities also call on visitors to be vigilant. It is recommended to carefully check the labels of food products to ensure their traceability and to carefully read the safety markings on toys and decorative objects. Any suspicion of fraud or non-compliant product can be reported directly to the DDPP of Maine-et-Loire. “These controls aim above all to preserve consumer confidence, especially in a context where end-of-year purchases are numerous and important for families,” underlines the Prefecture.
