The EU has banned jars of El Mordjene spread from entering the European market, causing a shortage.
Since the beginning of summer, its nutty taste resembling the inside of a Kinder Bueno has delighted the taste buds of many French people. Popularized by influencers on social networks, the El Mordjene spread, produced by the Algerian company Cebon, has been a victim of its success. So much so that it has been banned in France. Its price has doubled, and the product is now out of stock in many stores.
According to TSA Algeria, containers carrying a cargo of pots of spread were blocked at the port of Marseille. This information was confirmed by Mustapha Zebdi, president of the Algerian Association for Consumer Protection (Apoce), on Friday, September 13. According to him, these blockages are explained by “article 20, third paragraph, of regulation n°2202/2292 of the European Union”, which governs in particular the rules for the entry of food products containing milk into the EU. And Algeria is not one of the countries authorized to bring dairy products into the European market.
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An explanation that does not pass muster for Mustapha Zebdi. “The product entered and traveled… And when it became a danger for their beloved product, they did all the tests and released all the standards!”, he castigated to TSA Algeria. The dazzling success of the El Mordjene spread would have competed with European brands like Nutella, according to him.
And he added: “When there are risks and threats to their products, Europeans look for any loophole to protect them. They put in place all possible bans to defend their products. We are obliged to show solidarity and defend our products.”