The Competition Authority announced on Tuesday that it had notified grievances to 101 companies and 14 professional food manufacturing and sales organizations.
She accuses them of having hidden the possible presence of bisphenol A or substitutes in food containers.
"The accused entities are accused of having agreed not to communicate on the presence or on the composition of certain materials in contact with food, to the detriment of consumers," said the French gendarme of competition in a statement.
Bisphenol A is a chemical used in particular in the manufacture of plastics, classified by the National Food Safety Agency (ANSES) as an endocrine disruptor, capable of interfering with our hormonal system.
It has been banned in France since 2015 in food containers, but also since 2020 in sales receipts. *
Contradictory investigation must take place
The names of the companies and professional organizations involved were not communicated.
The Competition Authority claims to have notified them "a few days ago" of the procedure initiated.
A contradictory investigation must still take place, to allow the organizations to defend themselves: it will be only at the end of this that the Authority will define whether its complaints are founded.
"A statement of objections in no way prejudges the guilt of the companies or organizations concerned", she recalls.
Endocrine disruptors, present in many everyday products, have been the subject of lively controversy for several years.
From January 1, 2022, the law will oblige manufacturers of products containing them to “make available to the public” information on the presence of these substances.
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