Farmers are targeting, among others, large retailers and in particular the E.Leclerc brands, accusing them of favoring foreign products. Michel-Edouard Leclerc, president of the group, claims to scrupulously respect the EGalim law.
Among the targets of the farmers’ movement are brands linked to mass distribution. Leclerc stores are particularly targeted; several actions have been taken against the brand in order to verify the origin of the products sold. A logistics platform of the group was also blocked on Thursday January 25. The agricultural world criticizes Michel-Edouard Leclerc, president of the brand’s strategic committee, for favoring foreign products, the costs of which would be more advantageous.
According to the vice-president of Jeunes Agricoles de l’Aude Jérôme Barthès, it is Michel-Edouard Leclerc who “takes” the margin on agricultural products, and not “the farmers”. He denounces “foreign products which come from Ireland, and are sold at lower prices than ours”. “We want to put pressure on Michel-Edouard Leclerc who is making false communications,” defends Jérôme Barthès.
Michel-Edouard Leclerc defends himself
Michel-Edouard Leclerc defended himself on the set of “Entrepreneurship” in Le Figaro, Friday January 26. The president of the strategic committee claims to scrupulously respect the Egalim law. Attacked on its prices, in a context of inflation In a context of inflation against which he went on campaign, the president of E.Leclerc “hopes” that the “21% inflation that consumers have known well […] has benefited agriculture.” “And if this is not the case, we obviously need commissions of inquiry to come and look at where this money has gone,” he defends. Michel- Edouard Leclerc, for his part, indicates that he is “not aware of any dispute” and says he expects “lower inflation without affecting agricultural income” in his stores. “We do not have the right to negotiate agricultural matters”, he added. justified the boss of Leclerc, also confiding that he had “doubts about the way in which certain agricultural cooperatives or certain industrialists operate”.