Algerian spread El Mordjene Cebon, made popular on social networks, is banned in the European Union, the Ministry of Agriculture told AFP on Tuesday, specifying that an investigation “is underway” into the presence of this product on the market.
“Since Algeria does not meet all the conditions necessary to allow a third country to export to the European Union goods containing dairy products intended for human consumption in compliance with European requirements in terms of animal health and food safety, the importation of these goods is not authorized by the applicable regulatory framework,” according to the ministry.
French retail giant Carrefour announced to AFP last Thursday that it wanted to “market the famous El Mordjene Cebon spread within two to four weeks”, unlike other players in the supermarket world.
Questioned on Wednesday, Auchan, Aldi, Casino and Lidl indicated that they do not market this spread. Casino (Franprix, Monoprix) indicated that it does not plan to do so “at this time”. The other major retailers, including the leader E.Leclerc and the No. 3 Intermarché, did not respond.
An investigation has been opened “to determine the circumvention mechanisms which have allowed this product to be placed on the market until now,” added the Ministry of Agriculture.
“Two shipments (of El Mordjen Cebon spread, editor's note) are currently blocked at French border checkpoints,” according to the same Source.
The spread in question is receiving significant media coverage following recommendations from influential social media accounts.
In France, the sector leader by far is Nutella, produced by Ferrero, which holds more than three-quarters of the market for chocolate spreads in supermarkets, according to data from the sector federation (FCD).
Ferrero told AFP that it sold “nearly 90 million pots of Nutella in France” last year, or just under three (2.85) every second.
© 2024 AFP
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