The New Year retains its mythical magic. As every year, we resolve to change our ways, be nicer to each other and wish for a better time. So why break the habits of a lifetime? Along with sending my best wishes to all FPJ readers, my hope for 2008 is to see more coherence in my country concerning an urgent problem.

Lately, both the French ministers of agriculture and education announced their will to introduce more fresh fruit into the country’s schools by next autumn. This would entail the free distribution of apples, pears and bananas to pupils. At the same time, six consumer and parents’ associations wrote to the minister of health demanding that he posts an anti-obesity bill and grants fruit and vegetables “permanent national interest” status. The principal advantage for the industry would be an all-time 50 per cent discount on the price of national advertising.

The objectives are clear enough. You may think you have a European monopoly on obesity concerns in the UK, but the situation is getting more and more worrying on our side of the Channel, particularly among the younger generations. France is no different to its European neighbours, according to the World Health Organisation. But to be honest we are taking our time - too much time - to actively address the problem.

I recently showed the latest and, though you may not realise it over there, rather excellent figures on fresh produce consumption in the UK, as well as the different actions taken to encourage the young to up their nutritional intake, and the results, to some friends in the industry. They all asked the same question: “how did they achieve that?” while they were bemoaning the still desperately stagnant consumption in their own country. Maybe it’s time to swallow some Gallic pride and look at what is happening across the Channel.

Our two ministers have talked of the possibility of re-introducing vending machines in schools, as long as they offer more dietetically positive products. As a reminder, the machines were banned three years ago.

French wholesalers must have been quite angered to hear such a statement. Just before the ban, they created a branch specifically for this activity, Alliance Fraicheur, that was stopped dead in its tracks. A distribution channel re-opens, but re-introduction now would see intense pressure from the big food processing companies that have used the interim period to reconstitute their products.

We could also hope a more consistent policy from the government. Now its 2008 wishes are used up though, the industry will have to wait for the 2009 wish list to include that pipedream.

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