2023-05-17 18:22:18
After being received at Bercy, this Wednesday, May 17, the representatives of French agro-industrial companies finally gave in. The 75 largest of them have agreed to reopen price negotiations with supermarkets by the end of May.
This reopening was strongly requested by the government, which wishes to stem inflation (whose rate reached 6% in April 2023 over one year), in particular that of foodstuffs and to restore, in fine, the purchasing power of the French. “This is a first, it will accelerate the drop in prices on the shelves. This is great news for consumers », rejoiced Bruno Le Maire during a company visit to Loiret.
Lower energy and commodity prices
This release should also satisfy large retailers. In March, the period of annual negotiations resulted in an increase of around 10% in the prices paid by supermarkets to major brands, justified by increases in the price of charges (energy, packaging, transport, etc.).
But lately these costs, in particular those of raw materials and energy, have stabilized or even fallen. Enough to support the government’s demands to revise prices downwards. The latter even brandished the threat of introducing a tax on “undue margins” if no effort was made by the manufacturers.
Until then, they were resisting: Ania, the National Association of Food Industries, present this morning at Bercy, had indicated that it would only agree to discuss prices again on a case-by-case basis, excluding general renegotiations.
Prices down but still high
Among the 75 brands represented at Bercy, not all of them will necessarily have to return to the negotiating table: the measure targets those that have obtained more than 10% increase during the last negotiations. This is the case, for example, of the giants Nestlé, Unilever (Amora, Carte d’Or) or even Coca-Cola.
Will prices return to their pre-crisis level? Nothing is less sure. On this point, supermarkets and manufacturers seem to agree. Some are also anticipating a peak in inflation at the end of June, like Michel-Édouard Leclerc.
#major #brands #manufacturers #renegotiate #prices