French postal service gets bellies grumbling with new scented stamps

La Poste, the renowned French postal service, has teamed up with Paris-based artist Stéphane Humbert-Basset to create a unique and aromatic stamp that brings the iconic scent of freshly baked baguettes to life through innovative design.

These scratch-and-sniff stamps, which emit the delightful scent of an iconic bakery-fresh baguette when rubbed, celebrate France’s culinary gem. Nearly 600,000 of these special stamps have been printed and the fragrance is achieved  by using microcapsules embedded in the stamp’s ink, releasing the scent when scratched

The stamps were launched on the Feast Day of St. Honoré, the patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs, adding a layer of cultural significance to their release. The timing also aligns with the build up to the Paris Games, making it a perfect moment to celebrate French heritage. La Poste’s decision to create these scented stamps stems from a desire to honour the baguette as a symbol of French culture and daily life. Recognized by UNESCO as part of the intangible cultural heritage in 2022, the baguette holds a special place in French gastronomy and tradition

La Poste emphasizes that the baguette is more than just bread; it represents a daily ritual for millions of French people and serves as an ambassador of French artisanal skills and customs worldwide. “The baguette transcends borders to become an international icon,” La Poste said. “The inclusion of these artisanal skills and its culture in UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage testifies to its influence and establishes it as an ambassador of the bakery craft.”

 

Advertising ALL Design Food & Drink