“
Clearly everything is more expensive, take bread for example, its price has more than doubled since the changeover to the euro
”.
Like many French people, Michel, a newly retired 60-year-old from Toulouse, is convinced that the changeover to the euro has caused the price of the baguette to soar, the amount of which would now be equal in euros to what it was in franc when changing currency.
While bakers are preparing to pass on part of the inflation they are suffering to their customers,
Le Figaro
takes stock of the real evolution of the price of the baguette over the past twenty years.
To discover
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This idea of an insane increase in the price of the baguette in twenty years is contradicted by professionals. Thus Dominique Anract, president of the National Confederation of French Bakery and Pastry (CNBPF), estimates that "
the price of the baguette has increased by 23 cents in twenty years
". Figures confirmed by INSEE. "
We have not soared in price,
" says Sébastien Faivre, head of the consumer prices division.
Insee figures show in fact that the value per kilogram of baguette bread has simply increased a little faster than inflation in France since 2001. Thus over 20 years, the baguette has gained 35% against a general increase of 30. % on average for the rest of the products.
Not enough to cry scandal.
Likewise, the years which followed the changeover to the euro did not lead to any particular increase in the price of the baguette.
“
There were no increases or very slight
[at that time]
,
confirms Sébastien Faivre.
In any case, we do not see an atypical increase
”.
Prices could change quickly
To obtain these figures, INSEE sends investigators directly to the field who tour a panel of bread sellers (bakery, bread depot, supermarkets, etc.) and note the price of the baguette.
In fact, supermarkets have "
contributed to the moderation of the price,
" confirms Sébastien Faivre, while the amount spent at a craftsman will be noticeably higher.
This explains why the average price is around 90 cents for a 250g baguette according to INSEE against more than one euro in bakeries.
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The price of baguettes could, however, increase significantly in the coming weeks, in a context of inflation on commodities.
"
The
price of wheat, flour, energy, wages, packaging products ... All the lights are red,
" warns Dominique Anract.
The expert is therefore betting on an upcoming increase in the price of bread of around ten cents, which represents
"already a nice increase".