Bill proposal rejected by Senate

A bill proposal submitted by ecologists aimed at promoting access to healthy food was rejected by the French Senate on October 23. The proposal sought to require stores larger than 400 square meters with at least five sales points to sell a basket of food products at cost price.

Political groups oppose the bill

Several political groups, including Les Républicains, RDPI, RN-UDR, and UCI, opposed the proposal. They argued that the measures were incompatible with the principles of freedom of commerce and industry, freedom of enterprise, and freedom of pricing.

Growing issue of healthy food access

The bill aimed to address the growing issue of access to healthy food, which has become a luxury for many in France due to declining purchasing power and rising precariousness. More than 37 associations had previously written an open letter to the Prime Minister to bring the issue to the political agenda.

Proposed food basket and exemptions

The bill proposed a basket of food products composed of at least 80 items encouraged by the National Nutrition and Health Program (PNNS), including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, and dried vegetables. It also aimed to exempt these products from a 10% surcharge on the loss threshold introduced in 2018 under the EGalim law.

Government acknowledges the issue

The government acknowledged the difficulties faced by part of the French population in eating adequately and agreed with the bill's ambition, but opposed the specific measures proposed by the ecologist group. The economic affairs committee rejected the text, citing concerns about disproportionate infringements on the freedom of commerce and industry, freedom of enterprise, and freedom of pricing.

Debate on cost price calculation

The calculation of the "cost price" also sparked debate, as the notion of "cost price" does not appear in the Commercial Code. While the original text proposed a definition of "cost price," including handling, storage, preservation, preparation, display, cashing, personnel, and energy costs, several senators questioned the feasibility of effectively calculating and controlling this amount.

Concerns about local producers

Concerns were also raised regarding the potential repercussions on producers and local traders. The RN-UDR and RDPI groups expressed reservations about the risk of favoring the cheapest imported references at the expense of French farmers, fishermen, and local industries. Additionally, the economic affairs committee highlighted the potential effects on local businesses, noting that the measure could make margins more transparent and encourage local businesses to align with the proposed prices.