White paper for flyers

[sid]

One of our friends told me recently that it is illegal to use white paper for flyers distributed to the public. I did a little research and found several references confirming this, so it's just a warning to others who, like us, have been here a while but were completely unaware of this.

Apparently the Brits are the biggest culprits, through ignorance, handing out leaflets at vide-greniers etc.

Perhaps Clair would like to add something about the law?

Sid

[Âme]

Very interesting, Sid. I had noticed that flyers and posters are always printed on coloured paper, but didn't know why. 

 Here's the text: Article 15 Loi

du 29 juillet 1881 sur la liberté de la presse

[sid]

Yes, I thought it was just one of those French tastes in colour and decoration! It's only taken me 6 years to find out! There must be loads of other little things like this that we don't know about.

Thanks for the link and I'll pass that on.

Sid

 

[cooperlola]

So in France Bill Stickers may not be innocent after all....[Www]

[Hoddy]

Fascinating. In these parts the only notices in black and white are the death notices. I had no idea it was to do with the law, I thought it was just a convention.

Hoddy

[nomoss]

Actually it says that white paper may be used provided the document has coloured illustrations or text and that confusion with official notices is impossible.

[sid]

Ha, Nomoss!  [:)]  I agree that there are some conditions there about coloured illustration/text, but I don't think I'll be the guinea pig to test that interpretation!

There must be a long-awaited Government White Paper! [Www] on the subject!

[:D]

Sid

[Ladoix]

It is to do with the fact that all government notices are on white paper - we were told it at the C de Metier course for setting up in business.  It's one of those things that all the French know automatically but we don't.

[Kitty]

Why do printers use white paper then?  We had some flyers done (with colour illustrations) and the printer automatically used white paper.

[Dog]

I didn't realise that coloured paper had to be used for leaflets in France. They also seem strict on the printers name being shown which used to be the case in UK - so that the printer could be sued if the content was libelous.

In a famous case a printer in Leicester got sued and had to pay out when he accepted a job which was in Hindi (if my memory is correct)  and he didn't even know what he had printed as he didn't speak or read Hindi.

Also quite a ripoff as tinted papers cost significantly more than white.

I would be interesting to see how they define white paper as so called 'white paper' can have a colour hue usually red or blue.

Can you print text in red with a 30% screen over the paper making it pink?

[Ladoix]

[quote user="Cathy"]Why do printers use white paper then?  We had some flyers done (with colour illustrations) and the printer automatically used white paper.

[/quote]

Nomoss already explained above that it is allowed if there are colour illustrations.