The Minister of Agriculture must take the Commercial Practices Review Commission (CEPC) “tomorrow or the day after tomorrow”, according to the minister’s entourage this Thursday night, in particular after “unfair” practices were discovered during the commercial negotiations on food prices.
According to concordant sources, the distribution giant Intermarché and the purchasing center ‘Auxo Compras de Alimentos’ -owned by Casino and Intermarché- would stand out. An indirect way of not granting the price increases demanded by industrialists and agricultural producers, this system of credit notes allows a distributor to buy food products according to the prices at the time of sale and settle the invoice later, depending on the development of agricultural markets. . However, while payment is awaited later, the process creates a cash hole for the supplier.
No “generalized phenomenon of abusive increases”
The public authorities note with concern that most of the identified cases concern small and medium-sized enterprises at a time when their production costs have risen sharply. The CEPC must issue an opinion or formulate recommendations after having studied the commercial contracts between producers, suppliers, resellers, which will be submitted to it. On trade negotiations, a Senate report published Tuesday concluded that there was not a “widespread phenomenon of abusive increases.”
On the other hand, the parliamentarians pointed out that the General Directorate of Competition, Consumption and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) had identified price increases on the shelves by “certain distributors”, while these “had not signed increases in the price of product purchase”. with the supplier.” Practices “facilitated by the fact that consumers expect to see strong inflation on the shelves anyway.”
The tensions make negotiations difficult, with some brands taking a “very tough stance” and “rejecting dialogue”, both with companies and with public administrations, explains a spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture. According to data from the negotiations follow-up committee of July 7, 40% of the renegotiations for national brands (such as Danone, Nestlé, Coca-Cola) have concluded, and 90% for private brands (for example, Marque marque or Monoprix ).
Source: BFM TV
