The French continue to tap into their meal vouchers accumulated since the start of the health crisis.
But will they still be able to benefit for a long time from the increase in the daily limit, now set at 38 euros?
If the end of this temporary increase is scheduled for August 31, voices are being raised to defend a maintenance for a few more months.
A way to allow the French to use the funds accumulated since the start of the health crisis, while supporting the activity of restaurants.
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The derogatory measures announced by the executive in May 2020 "
made it possible to reduce part of the overstock accumulated by the French during the various confinements
", rejoices Vianney Du Parc, CEO of Edenred France. But this windfall has not yet been fully used: "
according to our estimates, four more months would be welcome to remove this overstock,
" adds the businessman. On the condition, however, that the health situation does not deteriorate ... And that the extension of the health pass to restaurants does not discourage consumers.
Same story with restaurant owners.
If we recognize that "
the agenda of discussions is already very busy
" with Bercy, the subject of meal vouchers is considered important, explains Franck Delvau, president of UMIH Île-de-France.
"
The ideal would be the extension
" he said at the outset, believing that it would be necessary "to
maintain the measures until the end of 2021
".
A decision particularly awaited by professionals, while the first effects of the extension of the health pass are already being felt: "
restaurants and cafes next to cinemas, for example, are already seeing their attendance decrease
", worries t -he.
To read also: Teleworking: can the employer remove meal vouchers?
For now, Bercy, maneuvering on this file, is delaying. In the office of the Minister Delegate in charge of SMEs, it is time to collect data in order to draw up a progress report: "
we are going to take stock to find out where we are
", we say. A meeting will then be organized with the stakeholders, in order to decide on a possible extension of the derogatory provisions. Beyond that, Alain Griset's cabinet does not rule out launching a "
structural
"
reflection
on a more sustainable evolution of the amount of the ceiling and the use on Sundays and public holidays, "
now that the experiment has been carried out.
".
But that would require changing the classic image of meal vouchers, seen as a way to finance meal breaks during working days.
If Vianney Du Parc does not support a change of model, several changes seem necessary to him.
He is campaigning in particular for a sustainable increase in the daily ceiling to 30 euros per day.
A means according to him "
to restore purchasing power to the French while supporting the restaurant sector, hard hit by the crisis
".
Hundreds of millions of euros accumulated during the health crisis
The health crisis has fundamentally changed the way consumers use meal vouchers. “
From June to October, meal voucher expenditure reached 400 million euros, or 80 million euros per month
” and “
the average basket of a meal paid for in a restaurant by meal voucher increased from 14 euros to 21 euros
», Indicated the activity report for 2020 of the General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF). At the beginning of January 2021, the cumulative savings were estimated at 700 million euros by Bercy. This is the last estimate communicated to date. "
It's 700 million euros that will be able to be spent by the French in restaurants,with a view to relaunching
The latter, then estimated the Minister of the Economy.
Read also: Lunchr, troublemaker of the meal voucher, raises 11 million euros
Several measures had been announced by Edouard Philippe on May 14, 2020, to facilitate access to meal vouchers accumulated by the French since the start of the crisis.
The main boost is a doubling of the daily cap of the meal voucher from 19 to 38 euros.
Matignon has also extended the use of these titles on Sundays and public holidays, only in restaurants.
A measure that benefits both the 145,500 catering establishments and the 4.4 million employees entitled to this advantage, according to the DGCCRF.
Last measure, the period of use of paper tickets for the 2020 vintage has been extended until August 31, 2021.
