The government is working with large retailers on a “anti-inflation basket” composed of around twenty consumer products, AFP learned on Sunday January 15, confirming information from the newspaper ” The Parisian “.
Among the avenues being studied to cushion the effects of inflation, which returned in 2022 to levels not seen since the 1980s, “one of the possibilities is to have a basket of basic necessities of around twenty products, which the large retailers would undertake to sell almost at cost price”said the Ministry of Commerce.
“The idea is to have a base of basic necessities whose prices are as low as possible”says the same source.
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“It goes from baby hygiene to adult hygiene, dairy products, fresh products, pasta…”lists the entourage of Minister Olivia Grégoire.
But “we are at the beginning of the discussions”insists the government, which also indicates that the implementation of the anti-inflation basket will go through voluntary commitments from distributors rather than through legislative or regulatory provisions.
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If it sees the light of day, the device will apply to “about twenty references out of 20,000 to 30,000 references in store”which should not excessively penalize the margins of distributors, underlines the ministry.
In any event, the anti-inflation basket has not “nothing to do with the food check”a system that the government has tried to put in place several times before giving up in the face of the complexity of targeting this aid to certain audiences.
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The discussions come as distributors are up against a bill tabled by a member of the majority in the Assembly.
Intended to rebalance the annual trade negotiations between suppliers and distributors, the text is accused by the latter of encouraging inflation.
On Sunday morning, most of the major retail chains published a joint press release denouncing a bill that would fuel “dramatically and lastingly” rising prices.
