France pushes retailers to create “anti-inflation” baskets of everyday food items, including fish

The French government is pushing the country’s major supermarket chains to combat high inflation by agreeing to sell certain essential goods at discounted prices.

While not as high as other areas of Europe, France’s overall inflation is predicted to hit 13 percent through the first half of 2023, according to INSEE, France’s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, with food-price inflation expected to move from 6 percent in January 2023 to 5 percent in June 2023.

Le Maire’s ministry conducted an investigation of the country’s agricultural sector and food retailers in 2022 to determine whether they had engaged in price-gouging, but determined they were not taking advantage of rising inflation to price in higher margins, according to Bloomberg.

The finance ministry conducted an investigation into food retailers' margins last year, but did not find evidence of price gouging. Le Maire found inflation of food prices in France was being caused by ... 

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