France, the European member state with a population of 64 million is the 4th most important EU tuna market in terms of canned tuna consumption.  A Frenchman eats on average of 1,92 kg of tuna meat per year – most of it canned.

Total imports of canned tuna in France keep showing a rising trend.  

During the first half of 2007, the country imported 5% more tuna in tins compared to the same period last year reaching 57.219 M/T (or 6.443.581 cases of 48 x 185g). It is not clear if this means there is also a rise in total consumption – or just a switch from domestic production to imports.

Canned tuna in brine remains the French consumers’ favorite with a share of 83% of all tuna imported; the balance is product in oil. Tuna in brine moved up by 5% and stayed with 47.687 M/T (5.390.428 units). Tuna salads, which are also very popular in France, are mostly produced by the French domestic tuna processing industry, and not imported.  Numbers on the local production in France over the first 6 months of 2007 are not available. Also shipments of tuna in oil to French ports have increased and showed a somewhat stronger growth with 9%, reaching the level of 9.532 M/T (1.073.423 cartons).



Considering the total French import of canned tuna, Spain was the main EU supplier, while Ivory Coast was the major non-EU exporter. Spain saw its exports decline by 6% while Ivory Coast is showing a very strong comeback with a 66% rise in volumes.

The recovery of the Ivory Coast tuna industry meant that other exporting nations saw their volumes decline. They have been taken over this volume during the period that Ivory Coast suffered from serious political turmoil.

 

The biggest tuna brands in France are Petit Navire (owned by MW Brands), Saupiquet (owned by Bolton group) and Pompon Rouge (owned by Peche et Froid). Private labels hold a 45% volume share in the retail tuna market.

Most brands make their added value products in France, while commodity products like canned skipjack and yellowfin tuna chunks and solid comes mostly from their factories in Seychelles, Ghana, Madagascar and Ivory Coast.  All these nations have zero import duty into the EU through recently signed EPA agreements.

The next important product in France is pre-cooked tuna loins. The volume of this product dropped by 23% from 8.927 M/T to 6.886 M/T during the first six months of 2007.  A total of 6.886 M/T of this raw material was imported from Italy, being the major EU provider. Ghana was the most important source of loins from outside the EU with 1.267 M/T, followed by Thailand with 1.168 M/T.

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