COAG and CECU report to the Consumer Affairs Department the possible fraud involving the Moroccan cherry.

The Federation of Consumers and Users (CECU) and the Coordinating Committee of Farmers and Ranchers Organizations (COAG) have filed a joint complaint with the General Directorate of Consumer Affairs of the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption, and the 2030 Agenda regarding alleged fraud in the labeling of cherry tomatoes sold by the Carrefour retailer and supplied by the Azura Group. Under the guise of Moroccan origin, this tomato variety is actually Western Sahara, they claim. This controversy was previously brought to light by this newspaper, which exposed how the Kingdom of Morocco was using the disputed region to establish a fruit and vegetable hub through which to exert its economic and political influence over the Sahara.

The agricultural organization points out that the alleged non-compliance with labeling regulations "undermines confidence" in the EU food traceability system . Therefore, together with the Federation of Consumers and Users, they urge the Consumer Ministry to "investigate" this situation and "sanction," if appropriate, the companies responsible for any potential fraud.

The complaint has been filed administratively against Carrefour, the product's distributor, and the Azura Group, the tomato supplier. Sources at Carrefour have informed this newspaper of their official position on the matter: "We wish to convey that Carrefour complies with its product labeling and traceability obligations." They state their "full willingness to address and implement any new labeling or regulatory requirements and we remain at the disposal of the appropriate authorities."

Meanwhile, Andrés Góngora, head of fruits and vegetables at COAG, explained to ABC that Azura is based in France, but its production and packaging centers are located in Agadir and Dakar. Specifically, it has more than 400 hectares of greenhouses in production in Western Sahara. He also points out that it is directly responsible for the processing and labeling of cherry tomatoes, as they are aware, he states, that the product does not come in bulk, as might be the case, but rather arrives at Carrefour already packaged with the nomenclature of origin printed on it.

It's worth noting that the distributor Azura not only sells cherry tomatoes in Spanish supermarkets, but its merchandise labeled "origin Morocco" reaches more parts of the European Union. Moreover, France set a precedent by exposing this alleged covert traceability at the beginning of the year, as the same company, Azura, was reported in January for similar fraudulent practices in France. However, although it was not free from suspicion, "it had not been detected in Spain until now," Góngora emphasizes.

Madrid, Jaén, Almería, Seville, and Murcia: the complaint alleges the sale of this Sahrawi cherry, disguised as Moroccan, allegedly in several Carrefour shopping centers across different provinces, according to ABC.

The head of fruits and vegetables at COAG points out that the unfair practice of introducing products labeled as "the Kingdom of Morocco," when their true origin is the territory disputed with the Polisario Front, is an issue that " farmers have been grappling with for some time " regarding Moroccan competition and its implications. Given that production costs in Morocco or the Sahara are lower than those of our compatriots , this affects competitiveness and domestic supply.

In this regard, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issued two binding rulings on the matter in October 2024. The first ruled that products originating in Western Sahara cannot benefit from the EU Association Agreement with the Kingdom of Morocco . In other words, Sahrawi products lack the trade freedoms and tariff reductions enjoyed by provisions dating back to the reign of Mohammed VI. Thus, the CJEU annulled the 2019 Agreement, which granted the same trade preferences to both territories; however, it granted a 12-month grace period for proper market adaptation. On the other hand, the ruling on product labeling , with immediate effect, established that all merchandise, explicitly referring to melons and tomatoes, harvested and produced in Western Sahara must be labeled as such in terms of country of origin.

At the national level, the rulings were made public last fall, with the member countries of the Group of Twenty-Seven being responsible for ensuring effective respect for the consumer's right to clearly discern whether a product labeled as originating in the Sahara actually comes from that country or from the Sahara, Góngora recalls, referring to the explanation given by the EU's Committee on Trade and Agriculture.

In this regard, the member of the COAG Executive Committee states emphatically: "Anything that comes from the Sahara must have the labeling as coming from the Sahara." "We denounce the existence of fraud in the labeling." "Morocco wouldn't allow it to be labeled Western Sahara." And he laments that this issue is more concerned with political issues than with addressing the harsh reality and interests of the agricultural sector.

COAG is seeking an efficient solution that protects and condemns this type of abusive and unfair behavior both toward consumers, who have the right to know the origin and source of the product, and toward domestic producers. " We want the Spanish State to fulfill its obligation, especially in this case with a European ruling at stake," Góngora claims. Although they have resorted to administrative action, if the Consumer Affairs Department does not offer a coherent response, the complaint could be escalated to the courts.