Foodwatch Urges EU to Close Loophole on Banned Pesticides in Imports
Consumer advocacy group Foodwatch has released new laboratory analysis revealing that nearly 77% of tested imported food products sold in European supermarkets contain residues of pesticides banned within the European Union, prompting an urgent call for regulatory reform. Of 64 products tested across France, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, 49 contained pesticide residues, with 27 different non-approved substances detected, according to Foodwatch’s latest report.
The Scope of Contamination
The tests targeted everyday imported staples — tea, rice, and spices — purchased from major brands and store brands. The findings paint a troubling picture: 45 of the 64 products contained residues of pesticides not authorized for use in the EU, with some products harboring up to 22 different pesticide residues simultaneously. Among the 15 products tested in France alone, 12 were contaminated with banned substances.
The worst offenders included Ducros sweet paprika powder, which contained 18 different residues including six banned substances, and Bouton d’Or (Intermarché brand) sweet paprika powder, which carried 14 residues including five banned ones. Two products — a “Taureau Ailé” rice and the Ducros sweet paprika — exceeded legal Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs), requiring immediate recall actions.
As RTBF reported, Foodwatch is calling on the European Commission to implement a zero-tolerance policy for banned pesticide residues in imported foods and to halt the production and export of pesticides prohibited within the EU.
The ‘Boomerang Effect’
The contamination highlights what Foodwatch calls the “boomerang effect” — a paradoxical regulatory gap where the EU bans dangerous pesticides for use within its borders but continues to permit their manufacture for export to third countries. These substances are then used on crops abroad, and the resulting food products are imported back into the EU, exposing European consumers to the very chemicals their regulators deemed too dangerous.
Camille Dorioz, Director of Campaigns at Foodwatch France, condemned the practice in stark terms: “The export of pesticides banned in the EU by companies like Bayer, BASF and Biesterfeld has devastating consequences on the health of agricultural workers and the environment in the Global South, but that’s not all. These banned substances come back to our plates in Europe like a boomerang.” He added: “Are pesticides too dangerous for Europeans not dangerous for all human beings? This cynicism, with colonialist overtones, is unacceptable.”
A Stalled Legislative Process
The EU promised in October 2020 to end exports of banned hazardous chemicals as part its Chemical Strategy for Sustainability. A legislative process launched in March 2022 aimed to enact this ban, but it has since stalled in the consultation phase with no law enacted. Meanwhile, a May 2025 citizen inspection at a BASF factory near Lyon revealed pallets of an EU-banned insecticide still being prepared for export.
France passed its own EGalim law in 2018, which was supposed to prohibit the production, storage, and export of EU-banned pesticides starting in 2022. However, enforcement has been weak, and the Lyon inspection demonstrated the law is not being effectively applied.
The ‘Omnibus’ Threat
Foodwatch’s call for action comes at a critical juncture. The European Commission is reportedly preparing a “Food and Feed Safety Omnibus” legislative package that NGOs warn would weaken residue limits, border controls, and pesticide safety evaluation processes.
Léa Redon, Campaign Manager at Foodwatch France, warned: “This is not the first time Foodwatch has highlighted this alarming reality: we consume banned pesticides on a daily basis due to inadequate controls. Instead of strengthening consumer protection, the European Commission is preparing to backtrack by weakening already insufficient rules.”
Health Implications and the Cocktail Effect
The detected pesticides include substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, reproductive toxins, and endocrine disruptors. Among the most concerning are imidacloprid, chlorpyrifos, thiamethoxam, and bifenthrin — insecticides that the FAO classifies as Highly Hazardous Pesticides.
A particular concern is the “cocktail effect” — the simultaneous presence of multiple pesticides on a single product. Current EU risk assessments evaluate substances individually, but growing scientific evidence suggests that combined exposure can have cumulative effects not captured by existing safety evaluations.
According to EFSA’s 2023 monitoring data, 9% of all food samples tested across the EU contained residues of pesticides banned in Europe, with over 200 non-authorized substances detected among 580 total residues. The most affected products included bananas, tea, rice, okra, and spices, with contamination rates reaching up to 50% for certain items.
What’s Next
Foodwatch has gathered over 116,000 signatures on its European petition addressed to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, demanding an end to the export of banned pesticides and the implementation of zero-tolerance residue limits. The organization has also transmitted its laboratory results to national authorities, requesting immediate recalls for products exceeding legal limits.
The key questions remain: Will the European Commission advance the stalled export ban, or will industry pressure and the proposed Omnibus package further weaken protections? And will the EU finally address the cocktail effect in its pesticide risk assessment methodology? For European consumers, the answers carry direct implications for the safety of the food on their plates.