https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The French have selected their favourite store and it's a supermarket that many readers might not have heard of, but our readers have voted it the best in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20181017/france-crowns-its-favourite-store-but-have-you-heard-of-it Wed, 17 Oct 2018 11:35:30 +0200 france-crowns-its-favourite-store-but-have-you-heard-of-it Yoghurt, as anyone who has seen the impressive rows of dairy products in French supermarkets will have deduced, is a staple of the French diet and is often flaunted for its health benefits. But perhaps not for much longer. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180412/watchdog-warns-french-about-the-dangers-of-their-beloved-yoghurt Thu, 12 Apr 2018 17:17:13 +0200 watchdog-warns-french-about-the-dangers-of-their-beloved-yoghurt French shoppers have proven that it's not just cheap Nutella that will send them into hysteria. Discounted nappies work too, apparently, according to reports on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180130/after-nutella-riots-french-supermarkets-see-nappy-rush Tue, 30 Jan 2018 16:37:48 +0100 after-nutella-riots-french-supermarkets-see-nappy-rush Behind France's criminal investigation into Apple's deliberate slowdown of its iPhones lies a tiny consumer rights organisation that has the world's biggest technology groups in its sights. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180110/hop-versus-apple-the-tiny-french-group-taking-on-us-tech-giant Wed, 10 Jan 2018 10:30:14 +0100 hop-versus-apple-the-tiny-french-group-taking-on-us-tech-giant Tea bags sold in France have been found to contain up to 17 kinds of pesticide, as well as potentially harmful metals and toxins, according to a new survey. But should tea and tisane drinkers be worried? https://www.thelocal.fr/20171108/tea-bags-sold-in-france-contain-up-to-17-types-of-pesticides Wed, 08 Nov 2017 12:15:52 +0100 tea-bags-sold-in-france-contain-up-to-17-types-of-pesticides Tourists have naturally come to rely on the internet to help them plan their perfect trip abroad. But a report this week revealed the reason why visitors might be wiser to dust off their trusty guidebooks. https://www.thelocal.fr/20171011/visitors-to-france-bewaredont-believe-the-online-hype Wed, 11 Oct 2017 16:37:13 +0200 visitors-to-france-bewaredont-believe-the-online-hype The French are feeling more optimistic than they have since 2007 and there are two main reasons. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170629/why-are-the-french-feeling-more-optimistic-than-they-have-in-a-decade Thu, 29 Jun 2017 11:40:08 +0200 why-are-the-french-feeling-more-optimistic-than-they-have-in-a-decade A leading French consumers group has again sounded the alarm on high street cosmetic products, telling the public some 1,000 of them should be avoided and 23 should be pulled off the shelves immediately, due to the "undesirable" or even illegal substances they contain. Items by popular brands such as L'Oréal and Head&Shoulders are among those on on the black list. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170608/french-warned-over-more-than-1000-cosmetics-products Thu, 08 Jun 2017 15:03:41 +0200 french-warned-over-more-than-1000-cosmetics-products French consumer confidence last month hit its highest level since August 2007, statistics showed Tuesday, as more people had a positive outlook about their future earnings as the country elected a youthful president with a reformist agenda. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170531/positive-outlook-means-french-consumer-confidence-reaches-nearly-10-year-high Wed, 31 May 2017 11:57:02 +0200 positive-outlook-means-french-consumer-confidence-reaches-nearly-10-year-high A group of nutritionists have warned the French to avoid over 100 typical supermarket foods due to their toxic contents. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160407/french-told-to-avoid-107-supermarket-foods Thu, 07 Apr 2016 18:11:24 +0200 french-told-to-avoid-107-supermarket-foods A leading consumer rights group in France has raised the alarm that tampons and items of protection contain “potentially toxic” substances. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160223/french-women-warned-about-toxic-tampons Tue, 23 Feb 2016 10:39:39 +0100 french-women-warned-about-toxic-tampons France may be depicted as all doom and gloom but the French are at a five-year high when it comes to consumer confidence, the country's statistics agency said on Tuesday, showing that households feel more optimistic about the country's economy. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150428/france-reaches-high-on-consumer-confidence-scale Tue, 28 Apr 2015 19:21:22 +0200 france-reaches-high-on-consumer-confidence-scale After recent health-driven moves to tax or restrict the use of energy drinks, artificial sweeteners and electronic cigarettes, French health authorities have now set their sights on cracking down on scented candles and incense, because their aroma could be masking toxic fumes. https://www.thelocal.fr/20131025/france-set-to-ban-scented-candles-and-incense Fri, 25 Oct 2013 12:45:00 +0200 france-set-to-ban-scented-candles-and-incense After raising concerns about the potential dangers of e-cigarettes a consumer group turned its attention this week to raising awareness of everyday products found in French supermarkets it claims contain “toxic substances”. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130830/group-lists-100-supermarket-items-with-toxic-substances Fri, 30 Aug 2013 10:09:00 +0200 group-lists-100-supermarket-items-with-toxic-substances The price of electricity in France is set for a steep five-percent rise in August, followed by a further increase of five-percent at the same time next year, France’s new environment minister announced on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130709/french-electricity-prices-set-for-sharp-rise Tue, 09 Jul 2013 14:47:00 +0200 french-electricity-prices-set-for-sharp-rise A French organisation plans to introduce a new regime for policing online consumer reviews in a bid to root out fake commenters by demanding they provide personal information before submitting product reviews. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130703/france-set-to-root-out-fake-online-consumer-reviews Wed, 03 Jul 2013 11:33:00 +0200 france-set-to-root-out-fake-online-consumer-reviews The second half of 2013 brings a raft of changes to French consumers and taxpayers on Monday. From VAT and mobile phone charges to tobacco and health insurance, The Local breaks down what’s up and what’s down in France, starting on July 1st. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130701/mobile-roaming-fees-cut-amid-consumer-changes-in-france Mon, 01 Jul 2013 10:29:00 +0200 mobile-roaming-fees-cut-amid-consumer-changes-in-france Shoppers in Paris take note. Already hit by the economic crisis, and after a dismal spring season, French retailers have started this year’s summer sales early, offering drastic reductions to bargain hunters. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130624/stricken-french-retailers-start-summer-sales-early Mon, 24 Jun 2013 15:11:00 +0200 stricken-french-retailers-start-summer-sales-early The French government is set to consider American-style "class action" lawsuits at a cabinet meeting on Thursday. The reform is designed to give consumers “effective weapons against fraudulent companies,” and would be a first for France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130502/france-considers-us-style-class-action-law-suits Thu, 02 May 2013 11:06:00 +0200 france-considers-us-style-class-action-law-suits There may be good news ahead for smokers in France, as reports in the French press on Friday suggested the government is to lift a restriction on the amount of cigarettes that can be legally brought into the country from other EU states. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130308/france-set-to-lift-limits-on-cigarette-imports Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:20:00 +0100 france-set-to-lift-limits-on-cigarette-imports