Comments on: Why EU rules matter (as shown by baguettes from Barnsley)

By: Anna

Anna — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 15:10:55 +0000

Hi, I just wanted to add to this conversation… I was in France in August this year and was just horrified to find hydrogenated fats in EVERYTHING there, all the bread in the supermarket except the baguette had it in. I’m not sure if the baguette is a protected loaf and therefore isn’t permissible to be mucked around with.
It was really harsh to have to avoid the delicious french bread and pain au chocolats because you just didn’t know what was n them! And the French used to be so good at food, now it all just seems to be processed rubbish!

By: Jon

Jon — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:25:23 +0000

Yes Jeremy, that’s what we’ve all agreed I think… Plus while SNCF is state owned it operates as a company, and I think they sub-contract for the restaurant car services to Sodexho or someone like that.

By: Jeremy Hargreaves

Jeremy Hargreaves — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:17:32 +0000

Er, there’s nothing to stop SNCF just stopping buying its bread from Barnsley, and buying French-produced stuff, if it wants to! And isn’t SNCF still a nationalised organisation, which would seem to give the French government a fairly straightforward option for tackling this specific instance!

By: sebastian

sebastian — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:10:12 +0000

So while I wonder about the merits of putting fat in baguettes, thereâ€™s nothing the French can do about the baguettes from Barnsley other than to amend their own law, change the EC law definition of bread and its ingredients, or for a French bakery to setup a factory in another EU Member State and sell to SNCF from there. Itâ€™s a good case of why EU rules (and elimination of non-tariff barriers) matter to business.

The French cannot unilaterally change the EC law definition of bread as there is no such thing. Even if there was, a single MS couldn’t unilaterally chnage it.

And the law you cited just covers certain types of bread, not all kind of breads.

And there is plenty of stuff at your local boulanger full of fat, trust me

By: Jo

Jo — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:38:39 +0000

sad as I am, I just google imaged “hydrogenated fat”… results most amusing. Would you prefer the molecular structure image or the charming margarine with the word FAT in pink fat floating fattily on the top from the amazingoilveoil.com website?
But yes I got the point – French law cannot stop SNCF from importing longer-life baguettes from Barnsley even if the ingredients are different from their baguettes if EU law say it can be done. Cassis de Dijon

By: Jon

Jon — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:36:34 +0000

The law – as I’ve read it – covers all bread baked in France. However I’m no expert baker!

By: jdc

jdc — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:34:56 +0000

Do you not put any fat at all in when you make bread, or is this a baguette thing? I usually chuck something in at the flour stage. Bit of soya margarine generally, given my weird diet.

By: aguirrezabal

aguirrezabal — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:32:59 +0000

What about convincing us Europeans that real French bread would never contain added fat? And that’s why it tastes better and it’s good for you?

You know, the pasta/beer/yoghourt decisions.

I would be outraged at SNCF if I were French!