Two European mass distribution purchasing centers which did not respect French law are targeted by “pre-fines” amounting to several “tens of millions of euros”, which they have two months to contest , announced the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire on Wednesday.
“European purchasing centers must respect national laws,” said Bruno Le Maire on Wednesday, during the press conference organized by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.
However, “two power plants did not comply with the provisions of the law” and “pre-fines” were issued on February 19 “for amounts amounting to tens of millions of euros”.
These two centers have two months to put forward their contradictory arguments, at the end of which the sanctions will be “final”.
As guarantor of economic order in our country, 150 agents from the @dgccrf were mobilized at my request to double the number of checks on manufacturers and distributors who do not respect the rules.
Here is an initial assessment:
➖ More than 1,400…
— Bruno Le Maire (@BrunoLeMaire) February 21, 2024
Distributors have set up purchasing and service centers in Europe in recent years to negotiate with their largest industrial suppliers, often multinationals.
Some are accused of not respecting French legislation and have been in the crosshairs since the start of the farmers' mobilization.
The French origin of the products controlled
Bruno Le Maire also announced that 1,000 establishments were checked on the French origin of the products sold, and 372 were in non-compliance, “not respecting the Origine France label” or making “deception on this merchandise”.
In a message to AFP on Wednesday evening, the Origine France Garantie association clarified that "the minister's comments do not target products benefiting from Origine France Garantie certification but agricultural products, particularly fruits and vegetables, displaying a marking" origin France' » inadequate.
In a tweet on Wednesday evening Bruno Le Maire indicated that it was “on the French origin of the products” that the controls were carried out, without referring to the “Origine France Guaranteed” label.
The first reports should be issued “in the coming days”, he said.
1,400 checks carried out
“Not respecting” the rules regarding displays of French origin is considered “a misleading commercial practice punishable by a criminal sanction” of up to 10% of turnover, the minister recalled in the morning.
He specified that 150 agents from the Fraud Repression (DGCCRF), a department of Bercy, were mobilized to control large manufacturers and supermarkets.
On this date, 1,400 checks were carried out on the 200 largest manufacturers and the 5 major distributors, indicated Bruno Le Maire, referring to “150 cases of non-compliance, in particular for delays in signing contracts”.
Presanctions have been notified.
“We are delighted that it is getting underway,” commented the head of the agricultural union Arnaud Rousseau on France 5. But “we will not give up, we will come and demand accountability for these controls,” he stressed.