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Various fruits and vegetables will no longer be sold in plastic packaging from January 1, 2022, the government announced. In French, it is called to sell “in bulk”.
The anti-waste law will ensure that fruits such as apples and pineapples, and vegetables, including potatoes and carrots, will be sold “in bulk” – cowardly.
There will be exceptions for delicate fruits and vegetables, such as berries, the sale of which without packaging would cause them to spoil more quickly.
But what is the origin of the term “in bulk” and where does it come from?
Himself, ‘bulk’ could perhaps be better translated as “loose” in English.
In the context of supermarkets, it means “without packagingâ€.
However, the expression “in bulk” can also mean “in no particular order”, sprain or injury (eg ankle or knee) or “in a state of disorder”.
This expression originated in the 18th century in the Netherlands, where the Dutch word “wrac” could be roughly translated as “bad”. However, it was mostly used to describe low-quality goods, especially fish.
In particular, North Sea fishermen would use this term to refer to herring deemed insufficient to be individually packaged and sold.
Fishermen didn’t want to waste time packing or even cleaning them, so these fish were thrown straight into barrels and sold in bulk in the market.
Due to the close trade links between the Netherlands and northern France, the term was adopted by the French, who replaced the first letter with a “v”.
Gradually, the expression was used in different contexts. Now, it can refer to anything that is “in disarray” – products in the supermarket, a chaotic situation, a state of mind …
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