Peanut butter sales have doubled in France over the past three years, according to a report by TF1info, as the American spread claims a growing place on supermarket shelves alongside traditional jams and chocolate-hazelnut spreads.
The report attributed the rise to two things: the product's indulgent taste and its high protein content, both of which have won over French shoppers. The emphasis on protein reflects a broader shift in food marketing, as products across many supermarket categories are increasingly promoted for their nutritional value.
An American Import Finds Its Place
Peanut butter, made from ground roasted peanuts, has long been a household staple in the United States, where it is perhaps best known as the filling in the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. In France, it has traditionally been sold as a niche American import rather than as part of the everyday breakfast-spread aisle.
That aisle has long been dominated by jams and by chocolate-hazelnut spreads such as Nutella, which the Italian company Ferrero introduced in France in the 1960s and which remains a fixture of French breakfast tables. TF1info's report said peanut butter has now firmly established itself alongside those staples, a sign of its growing acceptance among French consumers.
Manufacturers Turn to Local Production
The raw peanuts used to make the peanut butter sold in France currently come from the Americas, Argentina and China, according to the report.
With demand rising, food manufacturers are now trying to secure the product's long-term place in French kitchens by turning to local production instead of relying solely on imported peanuts, the report said.
The report ran one minute and 40 seconds and was produced by TF1info's video news team, according to its credit line, which lists it as part of the weekend edition of TF1's 8 p.m. evening news bulletin, JT 20h.
