French food retailers furious over “absurd” Senate report

According to a report by the French Senate, supermarket chains reportedly make a profit of about 40 euros on every 100-euro shopping cart. This conclusion has sparked outrage among the CEOs of companies such as E.Leclerc and Carrefour.

A striking figure

The sharp rise in food inflation prompted the French Senate a year and a half ago to scrutinize the balance of power in the retail sector. Last week, the Senate released a comprehensive report containing proposals to restore balance in the relationships between suppliers and supermarket chains, which are alleged to abuse their excessive bargaining power, circumvent strict French legislation on commercial agreements through international purchasing groups, and lack transparency.