While negotiations between distributors and agrifood manufacturers have just ended, announcing a very hot spring on labels, the French have already adjusted their spending. Not only are they flocking to private labels and lower prices at the expense of big brands, but they are buying less. According to INSEE, purchases of food products show a drop of nearly 9% over one year at the end of 2022. A historic plunge while at the same time inflation accelerated again in February in France, from 6 .2% over one year, after 6% in January, driven mainly by a jump in food prices of 14.5%, according to the first estimate from INSEE published last Tuesday.
While food banks and associations are facing an influx of requests, the government seems for the time being to have abandoned the idea of creating a food check reserved for the most disadvantaged. Preferring to put pressure on the margins of large retailers.