The ban, already adopted by the French Senate at the end of March, was endorsed by deputies, under the Grenelle 2 sustainable development initiative.
The continued safe use of BPA in food packaging is currently being scrutinised by both the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Up to now, Canada and Denmark were the only two countries to have banned its use in food containers or packaging for children aged 0-3.
Last month, the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA) recommended that consumers should be alerted to the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in packaging via a system of “systematic labelling”.
Giving an update on its ongoing research into BPA, AFSSA director general Marc Mortureux said labelling would allow consumers to avoid excessively heating containers that contain the chemical, as heating has been shown to accentuate the migration of BPA from food contact materials into food and drink.
Mortureux added that labelling would help protect those consumers most at risk from BPA. The French food safety body highlighted recent studies indicating that BPA exposure below the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) among pregnant women could have toxic effects.