French distributors threaten boycott of food trade negotiations

Distributors in France are considering a boycott of a preparatory meeting at the Ministry of Economy, Bercy, ahead of annual commercial negotiations scheduled to begin in December. The Federation of Commerce and Distribution (FCD), representing major retailers such as Carrefour, E. Leclerc, and Intermarché, has stated it will not participate unless two fundamental demands are met: transparency regarding agricultural raw material costs and differentiated treatment for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Judith Jiguet, general delegate of the FCD, characterized previous meetings as "theatre and postures where no decisions are made." While the FCD has not yet finalized its decision to skip the Monday meeting, food industry manufacturers, including Ania and Ilec, have criticized the potential absence. These manufacturers claim the boycott allows distributors to avoid accountability for their own practices.

The annual negotiations, which run from December 1 to March 1, determine retail prices and are frequently criticized for placing excessive pressure on farmers' earnings. Meanwhile, Pact'Alim, representing SMEs in the agri-food industry, has called for the upcoming negotiations to avoid repeating the imbalances seen in previous years.