France fight food waste, introduce 'le doggy bag'

"Most customers don't dare ask for the remains of their meal,." Photo / 123RF

France is to swallow its gastronomic pride and finally embrace "le doggy bag" amid plans to cut food waste that costs the country up to €20 billion a year.

A report to the French government this week warned that wasted food cost the average French household €400 annually. Globally, a third of the world's edible produce is binned every year.

The problem was a "sign of a system of [food production] and consumption in crisis", said Guillaume Garot, the MP who drew up the report.

Among his 36 proposals, Mr Garot suggested promoting "le doggy bag" - until recently an unthinkable practice in French restaurants.

To many French, parting with the remains of a meal in a bag is associated with the view that "Anglo-Saxon" eateries favour quantity over quality. In France, the traditional message to diners has been "love it or leave it".

Admitting that France faced a "cultural obstacle", Mr Garot said "most customers don't dare ask for the remains of their meal, and restaurateurs can see it as 'degrading' their dishes". But wastage had reached such levels that "it must be used as a springboard" to change the "almost automatic" habit of restaurants throwing away leftovers.

It appears, however, that mentalities are changing. A recent poll conducted by a regional food and farming state body in south-eastern France found that 75 per cent of French diners would be prepared to use a doggy bag.

One aspect of the doggy bag that the French found hard to stomach was the name, said Jean Terlon, a chef and union vice-president. His union had opted instead for the franglais term of "le gourmet bag".