The anti-inflation quarter in supermarkets will "obviously" be extended "by a quarter", confirmed the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire, reiterating his "determination" to "stop the spiral of prices" by the autumn and promising "within a few weeks" proposals for tax cuts. "We will obviously extend (the operation) for an additional quarter because the summer is difficult," said Bruno Le Maire on France 2 Saturday night. "As prices are not going to drop immediately, distributors have to commit for next summer and they have done it, so much the better.
»Bruno Le Maire also "thanked" the agri-food manufacturers for having accepted new trade negotiations "to lower prices", "which means that, at the beginning of September October, we will have -- at least this is my determination -- broken the price spiral". The main representative body of the agri-food industry, Ania, pledged last week that the 75 largest companies in the sector would reopen negotiations "before the end of the month".
Since March 15 and for three months, most supermarkets have committed to selling a selection of products at the "lowest possible price", a formula leaving them a great deal of freedom of maneuver. The objective for Bercy: try to stem galloping inflation on supermarket shelves, still measured at nearly 16% over one year in March. As early as May 11, Jacques Creyssel, general delegate of the Federation of Commerce and Distribution (FCD), had assured that distributors had "globally agreed to the extension of anti-inflation operations". System U CEO Dominique Schelcher announced that he was extending the anti-inflation quarter "until the end of the year".
According to the government, "on average for seven weeks, the prices of products of the anti-inflation quarter have fallen by 13% in the basket", an analysis qualified as "false" by the influential consumer association UFC-Que Choisir, which says it has noted small price increases in several brands.
On the fiscal side, while Emmanuel Macron has promised 2 billion euros in tax cuts for the middle classes by 2027, Bruno Le Maire said he will make "proposals" within "a few weeks" and estimated that "announcements can be made in a few months". "We are doing what our public finances allow us to do and I think €2 billion is already a significant sum," he said.