France's restaurants must have ‘home-made food’ logo
The reading
French restaurants and eateries will soon have to put a new logo on menus to inform customers whether or not their food is home-made. France's government has come up with a simple sign so that both French people and tourists will have a better idea of what they are eating. Restaurants could start using the sign from July the 15th and it will be compulsory for eateries from January. The move comes after complaints about the quality of food being served in French restaurants. Many customers expect top-quality food when dining in France. The country is, after all, supposed to be the home of fine dining and gastronomic delights. French cuisine is world famous for its rich history, taste and presentation.
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The new symbol is an attempt by the French government to improve the quality of restaurant food and boost tourism. A spokesperson said: "French gastronomy represents 13.5 per cent of foreign tourists' expenses. It is undeniable that if we add value to the quality of our restaurants, it will have an impact on tourism." He added that the government wants to, "reign in the amount of processed foods used and preserve France's high gastronomical standing". A poll conducted last year found that only around half of restaurant meals were cooked from scratch on the premises. The French Union of Hotel Skills and Industries believe that around 85 per cent of restaurants secretly use frozen or vacuum-packed food.
Sources:
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28313666
- http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2014/jul/15/france-fait-maison-homemade-law-save-reputation
- http://www.forbes.com/sites/ceciliarodriguez/2014/07/15/how-frances-restaurants-and-a-homemade-logo-take-on-fast-food-and-save-their-gastronomical-reputation/
