“Inflation is a slow poison for the purchasing power of households and businesses” (Patronat)

2023-08-26 10:26:00

Playing on inflation would be “suicidal” or “totally stupid” on the part of agri-food manufacturers, their representative Jean-Philippe André, president of ANIA (National Association of Food Industries) estimated on Saturday at a time when manufacturers in the sector and distributors are to be received next week by the government. “Inflation is a slow poison for the purchasing power of households, but it is also a poison for the purchasing power of companies”underlined Jean-Philippe André on France Inter.

“You would have to be suicidal or completely stupid to play on inflation to manage companies in the agri-food sector. That is absolutely not what is happening, he asserted.

If he recognizes that the drop in volumes “doesn’t work at all” industrialists, the boss of the main organization representing food processing companies (excluding cooperatives) refutes any compensation by unjustified price increases to maintain or increase their profitability. The costs “are aligned with world commodity prices, some of which are falling but others continue to rise”he underlined citing the example of sugar, coffee or pork.

The government once morest “dear life”

On Thursday, Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire announced that he would meet with Trade Minister Olivia Grégoire “next week distributors and manufacturers to take a new look at the fight once morest the high cost of living”. For several months, the government has been pressuring powerful groups, such as Coca-Cola, Mondelez or Nestlé, to take their part in efforts to curb soaring prices. In July, ANIA announced that a ” quarantine “ major agri-food industries had undertaken to make a « effort » on the price of to “regarding 1,000 products” big brands.

The National Institute of Statistics measured the soaring prices in food at 12.7% over one year in July, a sharp increase, however less than in June (+13.7% over one year). In July, consumer prices increased by 4.3% year on year, once morest 4.5% in June. Figures for August will be released on Thursday morning.