INSTITUT FRANÇAIS SAYS 'NON' TO FOIE GRAS

Cultural Centre's Christmas Market Will Not Offer 'Torture in a Tin' After PETA Appeal

London – After learning from PETA how ducks and geese are violently force-fed to produce foie gras, renowned language and cultural centre Institut Français has agreed to remove foie gras from its London Christmas Market on 6 December.

"I hear your concern concerning the 'force feeding' birds", wrote an Institut representative in an e-mail to PETA. "We want all our students to enjoy the Christmas Market the best possible way in a festive atmosphere, I hope you will be happy to hear we all have agreed to ask the stall to remove foie gras from the menu."

"Christmas is a time to celebrate joy and peace – in other words, to stay far away from the grotesquely enlarged livers of force-fed ducks and geese – so the Institut Français made the right call in pulling this vile product from its Christmas Market stall", says PETA Director Mimi Bekhechi. "PETA will continue to call on the few remaining holdouts in the UK, such as Fortnum & Mason, to join progressive-minded institutions in banning foie gras for good."

To create foie gras, metal pipes are forced down birds' throats, and huge amounts of grain and fat are pumped into their stomachs several times a day. Their livers become diseased as they swell to up to 10 times their normal size, and the pipes often puncture their throats – causing them to bleed to death. Foie gras production is banned in the UK and 16 other countries.

The Institut Français joins a long list of businesses and public personalities – including CUT and 45 Park Lane, Vertigo 42, the OXO Tower Restaurant, The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Wimbledon, Selfridges, restaurants in both Houses of Parliament and His Royal Highness Prince Charles, who does not allow it on Royal menus – in banning foie gras.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.