Foodwatch accuses these food companies of cheap inflation practices

Foodwatch, a consumer defense association, puts the food industry in the spotlight, pointing out six products from major brands whose composition has been altered while prices have risen due to inflation. Indeed, it is a practice, called “cheap inflation,” that involves reducing ingredients, removing them, or replacing them with cheaper or lower quality substitutes.

Price rise is not only linked to inflation

Contrary to popular belief, inflation will not cause the prices of certain foods to increase tenfold. But this is a phenomenon that started a long time ago. According to the association, this would have started in 2016. “We have identified instances going back to 2016 before the start of food price hikes.

The phenomenon is therefore not recent, but inflation could have encouraged producers to resort to these practices,” Foodwatch explained on its website as part of an investigation carried out with the program “France, Grand Format” on the France 2 channel.

Among these products that it has discovered, we can cite Fleury Michon surimi sticks, which contain 11% less fish meat, knowing that their price has increased by 40% between 2021 and 2023. We also have Maille mayonnaise (Unilever group brand), Milka chocolate. (Mondelez), Bordeaux Chesnel rillettes, After Eight chocolates (Nestle) or fish from the Findus brand (Nomad Foods).

Companies justify the increase in raw material prices

Product prices have risen and producers blame the rise on inflation that has recently hit France. But this is not the opinion of the association. “We have challenged manufacturers who usually justify these changes by increasing raw material prices during inflationary periods.

For Foodwatch, this in no way excuses ambiguity regarding recipe or format changes, nor the associated price increases,” the association declared. You should know that after peaking at around 16% in spring 2023, food prices, which were the main driver of inflation, started to slow, registering an increase of 5.7% year-on-year in January 2024.

What you need to understand is that the prices displayed on certain products are not a product of inflation. And as Bercy announced on France 2, good news is coming in the coming months. “On pasta, on oil, on coffee, prices were going to drop by a quarter in the coming weeks, maybe in the coming months, we’ll be below 2%,” he declared.