French oyster farmers fear reputation damage as norovirus scares off customers

Despite being Europe's biggest producer and consumer of oysters, France is facing a decline in demand after a wave of norovirus-induced food poisoning. 

Authorities in four oyster-producing regions have recalled some productions and temporarily banned their harvest due to a norovirus infection that can cause food poisoning. © Benoit Tessier/Reuters

The Vendee prefecture on Thursday closed the Talmont-Saint-Hilaire oyster bed after four people reported food poisoning after eating oysters from the zone on Christmas Eve.

At the end of December, three other oyster beds in the Arcachon Bay, on the western coast near Bordeaux, and parts of Calvados and the Manche in the north were also banned from harvesting. 

Heavy rains are to blame for contaminated oyster beds as wastewater treatment floods and washes untreated sewage into the ocean.

A number of producers in these areas are now prevented from selling oysters and shellfish.

Consumption declining 

Although the closures affect only a small portion of France’s 375 oyster producers, consumers have steered clear to avoid vomiting and diarrhea caused by norovirus.

Producers are reassuring consumers their areas are safe, but are still seeing a reduction in sales.

• French oyster sales clam up as contamination scare spreads

Philippe Morandeau, head of the regional shellfish producers’ association in the western Charente-Maritime region, said his sales dropped 25 to 30 percent although his region had not had any contaminations. 

“People read the big headlines and do not retain the location, just the word ‘oyster',” he said.

Government response 

France’s junior minister for maritime affairs Hervé Berville acknowledged the oyster industry as “an essential sector for the local economy.” 

He stated that they government wants to protect consumers while also reassuring them about the safety of produce from unaffected sites.

They are also preparing to help offset losses, even from those not directly affected by the temporary closures, according to Berville. 

In early 2020, authorities also closed oyster beds in Brittany due to contamination from wastewater treatment.