Lab Tests Reveal Pesticide Contamination in Valentine's Day Flower Bouquets

Consumer group UFC-Que Choisir finds harmful pesticide residues, including banned substances, on all tested bouquets, raising health and environmental concerns.

UFC-Que Choisir tested 15 bouquets of roses, gerberas, and chrysanthemums, finding pesticide residues on 100% of the samples.
Some bouquets contained up to 46 different pesticide residues, including known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors.
Approximately 85% of cut flowers sold in France are imported, often from regions using pesticides banned in the EU.
The consumer group is calling for stricter regulations, import bans on non-compliant flowers, and mandatory labeling of origins and treatments.
The findings follow a government-commissioned evaluation of pesticide exposure risks in the floral industry, prompted by a past case linking pesticide exposure to a child's leukemia.