After a two-year court battle, the Yuka app finally beats the French charcuterie lobby, which wanted to prevent the disclosure of information about the risks related to the consumption of added nitrites in food.
Yuka beats the charcuterie lobby
On June 7, 2023, the Paris Court of Appeals ruled on the case between Yuka and the French Federation ofCharcuterie and Sausage Industries(Fédération des entreprises françaises de charcuterie-traiteur – FICT), recognizing the app’s founders’ right to inform consumers about the toxicity of nitrites. And ordering FICT to pay 60 thousand euros in damages.
The clash arose in mid-2021. Yuka, the app now used by more than 4 million Italians that lets them know the nutritional profile of foods simply by scanning the food barcode with their smartphone, had included a warning about nitrites, pointing out that their consumption promotes certain types of cancer.
On the same screen, in addition to the usual references to scientific literature, a link appeared to the petition promoted together with the consumer association Foodwatch and the League Against Cancer for the removal of E249 potassium nitrite, E250 sodium nitrite, and E251 sodium and E252 potassium nitrate from cured meats.
Decision reversed
On May 25, 2021, the administrative court had upheld the charcuterie industry’s arguments and ordered Yuka to pay 20 thousand euros in damages to the charcuterie producers’ association for engaging in an unfair business practice and defamation of charcuterie producers.
Since then, the Courts of Appeal in Aix-en-Provence and Brive-la-Gaillarde have granted Yuka’s petitions. And the recent decision of the Paris Court of Appeals finally reverses the initial reading of the facts.
‘After two victories over ABC industries-a company owned by the FICT vice president-in December 2022 and March 2023, the Paris Court of Appeals “dismisses the Federation of French Charcuterie Enterprises (FICT) from all its claims on the basis of disparagement, call for boycott, and unfair and deceptive business practices‘, Foodwatch states.
Solid and documented theses
In court, FICT continued to make the same argument as two years ago: that nitrites added as preservatives do not create health problems and that the information provided by Yuka and the other two organizations involved in the petition is biased.
The Paris Court of Appeals, however, unlike the administrative court, pulled straight.
The studies and scientific articles expressly cited in the appeal […] are the result of unquestionable research work for over fifteen years issued by serious and reputable associations and public research bodies, so that, even if they can be challenged, they constitute a sufficient factual basis to diffuse the incriminated contentions regarding the danger that the use of nitrite and nitrate additives could pose.
The campaign against added preservatives in cured meats continues; the petition has already collected more than half a million signatures.
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".