Two deputies propose, for example, the establishment of “local food vouchers” or the implementation of a fund devoted to “new food solidarity”.
While inflation stood at 6.2% over one year in November, it more than doubled in food. According to INSEE, prices in this sector thus increased by 12% over one year, in October. A figure that is still below the European Union average, at 17.3%. In this context of rising prices, due to input prices and production costs, two deputies published a parliamentary report.
This Wednesday, their analysis is unveiled in the Economic Affairs Committee of the National Assembly. “In general, the DGCCRF does not observe any major phenomenon of price increases going beyond inflation.“, says the report. Aurélie Trouvé (LFI) and Xavier Albertini (Horizons) have thus updated their recommendations in relation to the first report of their working group last July.
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Among the thirty pages, that Le Figaro consulted, one of the first recommendations concerns the explosion of energy costs which directly impact the agricultural sector. According to the two rapporteurs, the risk is to see “the food trade balance deteriorates with an increase in imported productswhich are less expensive. The pork sector is already impacted with meat imports which increased by 6.6% over the first seven months of 2022. According to the FNSEA, energy prices have been multiplied by ten for farmers, “part of which is no longer eligible for the tariff shield“, point out the deputies. They call on the government to make agriculture “a priority sector», «with the implementation of energy shields commensurate with the challenges».
“The consumption of first price products is increasing”
On the production line, manufacturers are also subject to a sharp increase in costs, which they are trying to pass on in negotiations with distributors. According to the National Association of Food Industries (ANIA), energy costs are up 57%, compared to 29% for agricultural raw materials and 26% for cardboard and plastic packaging. Since 1is November, the actorsstarted trade negotiations in a tense situation for the entire food chain“, says the report.
Faced with these price increases, consumers have changed their food purchases, “to the detriment of quality sectors». «The consumption of meat, organic and labeled products is falling, while the consumption of entry-level products is increasing“, state the deputies. The organic range, for example, is down 12.4% in volume and 12% in value over the period from January to September, compared to last year. Aurélie Trouvou and Xavier Albertini thus call on elected officials to “support food purchasing power».
They particularly regret that a food check has not been put in place by the executive. For the poorest, they call for the rapid implementation of a fund of 60 million euros devoted to “new food solidarity“. Concretely, this fund would allow the development of short circuits, directly connected “local solidarity mechanisms“. For the two elected officials behind the report, “local food voucherscould also complete this offer.
Food aid structures are in high demand
These recommendations are part of a context of strong demand from associations. Food banks – which support 2.4 million French people – note a 9% increase in demand in the first half of 2022, compared to 2021. The same is true for the Red Cross, which reports an increase of 7 to 10% of the number of individual distributions. Finally, the Restos du Cœur confirmed this trend, with attendance up 12% this year.
In addition to this growing demand, food aid structures “must also manage rising operating costs“says the report. For Aurélie Trouvou and Xavier Albertini, it is necessary “recognize the essential nature of food aid structures for the continuity of the nation’s life in order to ensure that they will not be deloaded this winter“. They also encouragereflection on how to improve the system of access to European funds for food aid».