When onions from elsewhere become “Made in France”: a Tarn company singled out

This Tuesday, December 17, the Castres criminal court delivered its verdict in a case of deceptive commercial practices. A company based in Jonquières, in Tarn, specializing in the wholesale trade of fruit and vegetables, was found guilty of having sold foreign onions under the “Origine France” label.

It all starts with a simple phone call. A competitor reports irregularities to inspectors from the Occitanie Regional Directorate of Economy, Employment, Labor and Solidarity (DREETS). The response was not long in coming: a check was launched, and the results exceeded all suspicions. Over the year 2021, no less than 1,065 invoices show blatant anomalies. The origin of the onions, sold to mass retail heavyweights like Carrefour and Système U, is never mentioned. Worse still, products from the Netherlands, Spain and Chile are labeled as “Origine France – Occitanie” and resold at the price of French onions.

“We were short of stocks”

During the hearing, the figures speak for themselves. The president of the court points out a striking example: “61 tonnes of yellow onions purchased for 177 tonnes resold. And this is far from being an isolated case.” The company, although well established, could not ignore these practices. Created in September 2018, SAS is a key player in the marketing of garlic, onions and shallots in the region. It even has its own farm, which is supposed to provide part of its production. But in 2021, the shortage has derailed the system.

“We were short of stocks and we didn’t want to lose the contracts,” the president of the SAS tried to justify. His son, manager of the farm, cited a technical problem: “The invoicing software did not provide the box for origin.” A defense considered unconvincing in the face of the discrepancies observed.

“We all have the right to know what’s on our plate”

For the prosecutor, the facts are serious. “We all have the right to know what we have on the plate,” he insisted. “We talk about it enough today, production standards are not the same in all countries, and this company has knowingly maintained the vagueness. Contrary to what it claims, it is not just a question of saving contracts; she also sought to make a profit, and the figures prove it.” There have been profits: 53,000 euros net in 2021, despite the crisis. “And the contrast is striking: in 2022, after stopping these practices, turnover fell from 970,000 to 723,000 euros, or a drop of 25%,” added the prosecutor.

For his part, the defense lawyer tried to minimize the facts. “They did that because there was a shortage. I think we have to be serious. In 2021, the profit was only 53,000 euros. We cannot talk about massive enrichment.” He also pointed out the passivity of the purchasing centers: “The 4 centers concerned were not very concerned about the absence of mandatory information…” Despite the explanations put forward, the court was not convinced. The SAS was fined 14,000 euros.