French meat company Soviba has teamed up with major distributor, Continent, to supply consumer with very precise information on the Internet about the meat being sold.

Executives of the two firms explained that thanks to an interactive terminal in the store, the consumer can get information - and even a photograph - of the stock farmer, and learn how he feeds his animals. To do this, the consumer just has to type in a "traceability number" appearing on the meat package he is buying.

For the moment, just one such terminal has been installed, in the Continent hypermarket in Ormesson (Seine-et-Marne department). The experiment is to be extended to two other Continent stores in the Paris Region, in Chambourcy and Chelles, but the companies are waiting to judge consumer reaction before investing in other terminals.

The scheme aims to allow customers to get information on the meats from home, by hooking up with the Soviba or Continent Internet sites.