While a draft regulation plans to allow payment by restaurant vouchers for any food product, catering professionals refuse to see restaurant vouchers become food vouchers.
In order to fight once morest inflation and restore purchasing power to employees, the government would study the possibility of allowing them to pay for their food shopping by restaurant vouchers.
The National Group of Independents in the hotel and catering industry, GNI, and the National Union of Thematic and Commercial Catering, SNRTC, have just written to the government to draw its attention to the risks of such a measure.
On the occasion of this letter, we want to alert the government to the consequences of a diversion of the restaurant voucher, such an extension of the use of restaurant vouchers proving to be contrary to the purpose of the restaurant voucher.
explains Didier Chenet, President of the GNI.
The purpose of the restaurant voucher is to allow employees who do not have a company canteen to have a real meal during their daily break.
If its regulations have evolved with the practices of our fellow citizens, by authorizing for example the purchase of sandwiches or meals already prepared or even simple fruits and vegetables, it has always respected the purpose of the restaurant title.
,
For the GNI and the SNRTC, this project would indeed call into question the very purpose of the restaurant voucher by making it a food voucher allowing the purchase of all types of products, including those whose state tries to reduce consumption through their taxation. The lunch break would be threatened and the health of the employees with
adds Hervé Dijols, President of the SNRTC.
And to add: this measure also risks compromising the social and tax regime of restaurant vouchers by making it an ordinary means of payment. At the GNI and the SNRTC, we refuse to take the risk of taxing restaurant vouchers
.
Finally, the two professional organizations fear that such a measure does not seriously degrade the activity of local food shops that employees are used to frequenting during their meal break, this to the benefit of the distribution giants
.
Didier Chenet and Hervé Dijols appeal to the government asking it to ensure compliance with the purpose of the restaurant voucher: The restaurant voucher is not and must not become a food check
.
The GNI for Hospitality & Catering
The GNI is the only independent Professional Organization serving hotels, cafes, restaurants, caterers, reception organizers and independent and heritage night establishments.
The GNI is a representative organization officially recognized since its creation and once more by the High Council for Social Dialogue on July 7, 2021. The GNI brings together nearly 12,000 companies employing more than 110,000 employees.
Le SNRTC
The National Union of Thematic and Commercial Catering (SNRTC) is a professional organization representing the sector of Hotels, Cafés, Restaurants.
(UNHCR). It brings together structured chains of table catering, caterers, independent restaurateurs and franchisees throughout the territory. It defends the interests of the profession and the idea that collective action makes it possible to build the future of catering.
Dialogue, dynamism, meetings and representation with the public authorities are the key words of its action, which supports more than 2,000 establishments employing nearly 50,000 employees on a daily basis. The composition of the SNRTC reflects the diversity of catering professionals: from chains, including the 9 largest French groups, to small businesses, all are represented there by statute.