Amid agrarian crisis, mass distribution calls on caterers and wholesalers to “extend EGalim’s responsibilities”

Major retail bosses called for EGalim’s obligations to be extended “To catering players, as well as industrial wholesalers”, in a joint letter addressed to the FNSEA on Friday and consulted by the Agence France-Presse (AFP). The letter comes as many farmers demonstrated in the streets and regions of Paris on Friday, and on the eve of the opening of the Salon d’Agriculture, after the Elysée’s failure to organize a debate with the FNSEA.

Crisis in the agricultural world “forces us”, But mass distribution “Can’t do everything”, write in this letter Michel-Edouard Leclerc (E. Leclerc), Alexandre Bompard (Carrefour), Thierry Cotillard (Les Musketeers-Intermarche), Dominique Scheltcher (System U), Philippe Brochard (Auchan), Jean-Charles Noury ​​(Casino, Monoprix ) and Ludovic Chatelais (Cora). Between them, they represent more than 88% of the French food delivery market, according to reference data from panelist Kantar.

The government plans to introduce “Through the Summer” A new law for “Strengthen EGalim System” Aim to enable better remuneration for farmers in terms of negotiations between distributors and agro-industrial suppliers.

These leaders, some of whom are frequent in the media, ask that the issue of agricultural income not be addressed. “Regardless of other outlets”. their field “Represents less than half of the outlets for French farms”. It is for them High time to expand EGalim’s responsibilities to out-of-home catering players (Restaurant and mass catering)as well as industrial wholesalers.

“Charter of Good Practice”

A day earlier, Thierry Cotillard lamented to AFP that local authorities were exempting themselves from some provisions of the EGalim law. The latter was planned “Those communities should source 20% organic or local produce for mass catering, we’re a long way from that”he observed.

Mass distribution is also sought “Obligation on businessmen, under penalty of sanctions, to carry out their negotiations” With distributors first with farmers, and the price to be paid to farmers is known in these negotiations.

The sector still offers “Working on a Charter of Good Practice” To prevent the use of Europe-based purchasing and service centers from being detrimental to farmers’ incomes.

“Among other fields, aeronautics, chemistry, Euro-power plants exist” and is “Incredible Tools” in front of “Price gouging by multinational companies” Like Coca-Cola or Nestlé, Thierry Cotillard explained the day before the proposal to be excluded from these negotiations. “Products with a strong agricultural component”.