As the 20th century opened, industrialisation of the agrofood sector and expansion of distribution circuits was already starting to bring to the fore a certain number of product quality-related issues. The growing complexity of these products coupled with a complete lack of control over their origins and quality drove the enactment of several health and safety laws that stemmed from the French framework law of 1905 on the prevention of fraud. At the time, with the exception of Roquefort cheese which was given AOC status in the 1920s, no product was covered by any form of certified origin. Fifty years on, consumers had become increasingly wary due to widespread use of intensive farming techniques (involving chemical treatments and fertilisers, animal feeds, etc.). This was the background against which quality schemes targeting agricultural and agrofood products were first introduced together with the mechanisms needed to differentiate them, a strategy that gradually led to the creation of quality logos.

The following is a list of the official quality and origin logos (SIQO) currently in use:
- Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC - Controlled Designation of Origin): this identifies the specific region or place of origin of a product whose quality or characteristics are mainly dependent on this geographic location. It is based on the dual concept of production method and regional origin, the whole expressed through a specific set of skills;
- Appellation d’Origine Protégée (Protected Designation of Origin): Europe-wide designation of the AOC covering agrofood and dairy produce;
- Indication Géographique Protégée (Protected Geographical Indication): this EC quality logo identifies products for which not every production stage is required to occur in the eponymous geographic area, but which are nevertheless linked in some way to a certain region or reputation. Previously, this was linked to the Label Rouge or the CCP, but this is no longer the case today.
- Label Rouge: this guarantees that a given product can claim superior quality based on a specific set of characteristics that differentiate it from other products of a similar nature;
- Spécialité Traditionnelle Garantie (Traditional Specialty Guaranteed TSG - no dossiers have so far been approved in France): this designation protects a traditional name linked to a specific production method with no particular geographical requirement;

It was thus decided to update and harmonize the system (EC regulation 510 and ruling on improving the development of agricultural and agrofood products in France), in full compliance with the specific outcomes for each of these quality logos. The reform introduced in January 2006 consistently clarifies and simplifies the system for developing agricultural and agrofood products by: - Organising it around three categories: SIQO (official quality and origin logos currently in use), value-adding statements (i.e. mountain or farm produced) and certification schemes; - grouping SIQO within the newly formed INAO (National Institute of the Designation of Quality and Origins). All SIQO are monitored by a group of independent inspection bodies - this comprises certifying bodies (conform with standard 45011) and inspection bodies (conform with standard 17020) - and defence and management organisations. Certifying bodies (approved by the INAO) decide whether to approve and apply a product certification application. Inspection bodies, certified by the COFRAC (French Certification Board) and approved by the INAO, identify any nonconformities and send the relevant reports to the INAO which decides on the penalty to be applied jointly with an inspection-related advisory body, the Approvals and Inspections Council (CAC). This only concerns AOC-AOP, as Label Rouge and IGP were already covered by this type of independent inspection by certifying bodies. The mandatory inspections will be fully operative by July 2008.

Dominique Chaillouet

« This was a much needed reform aimed at clarifying and enhancing the credibility of AOC products in order to meet growing consumer and media demand. Furthermore, it was important to separate IGPs from Label Rouge in order to prevent distortion of the competition. While this is a comprehensive, far reaching reform, it will only become fully functional with the deployment of an effective communications plan. There is a growing awareness in several non-EU countries (India, Pakistan, China, Africa, South America, Canada, etc.) with little or no previous experience in the agro-foods sector, or in the deployment of product quality policies, of issues concerning the geographic identification of product origins and the need to develop a coherent quality policy. China currently boasts some four hundred products with protected origins, twelve of which have applied for AOP or IGP certification. A European protection application has also been filed for Darjeeling Indian tea and Basmati rice could also follow suit. Similarly, an IGP application for Colombian coffee has now received European approval. Morocco is in the process of pushing through a law to protect argan oil, dates, saffron, clementines, and so on. Other countries are now flocking to join our system, all driven by the same desire to protect their product assets and their identity ».

Régis Lhoutellier
(Director of Jardins de Créances - shipping agent)

« Our company, Jardins de Créances, based in Créances (Manche) and established in 1991, specialises in shipping a full range of vegetables grown in open fields. We have signed agreements with a local group of producers, and ship a little over 25,000 tonnes/year under our brand name Jardins de Créances. We sell 85% of our production in France and 15% abroad. Our supply service breaks down as purchasing groups (60%) and wholesalers (40%). Our site lies on an area known for its sandy soil, ideal for producing top-quality vegetables such as leeks and, in particular, carrots, our flagship Label Rouge product, sales of which are rocketing. Incidentally, we are looking for a distributor for our Label Rouge carrots at Rungis. While the Label Rouge quality logo is undeniably the most popular with consumers, this does not obviate the need for promotion, by marketing products in certified and specific packaging for example (carrots hand-washed and packed). Our policy is to focus on quality and volume, in full compliance with the Label's requirements ».