A practice criticized for many months by consumers has led the government to impose strict new rules. A decree published in the Official Journal comes into force on July 1.
When shopping at the supermarket, the French have their own little habits. They generally buy the same products and have their favorite brands, especially those of their children. But with inflation, a new practice implemented on the shelves by food manufacturers is penalizing customers. Widely criticized by consumer associations, this method caused the government to react. Indeed, a decree published in the Official Journal of May 4 comes into force on July 1, 2024. This new provision aims to better inform consumers and to fight against “Shrinkflation” or “re-flation”.
From now on, all distributors of consumer products in large and medium-sized stores will have to inform customers about the products whose price is increasing and their quantity is decreasing. Because until now, the reduction in quantity of certain products was hidden while prices were maintained or increased. A deceptive commercial practice that could only be noticed by scrupulously analyzing the labels.
Concretely, a poster must be placed near the product when its quantity decreases and its price remains unchanged or increases. The following statement must be indicated: “For this product, the quantity sold increased from X to Y and its price in (relevant unit of measurement) increased by …% or …€.”, specifies the Ministry of the Economy. The sign must also be displayed for two months following the marketing date of the products concerned.
Stores of more than 400 m² which do not comply with these new regulations incur sanctions: a fine of 3,000 euros maximum for an individual, and 5,000 euros maximum for a legal entity. Please note that certain preparations whose quantity may vary during preparation, such as the catering section for example or foodstuffs sold in bulk, are not affected by this new measure. Small stores such as Auchan Market or Carrefour Market are also not required to display this sign. Consumers will therefore have to continue to be vigilant about the quantity of products and their prices in certain stores.