Overview
- France’s retail federation FCD said it will not attend the state monitoring committee after Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard accused some chains of using “deadly blackmail” in price talks.
- In a letter signed by leaders of Leclerc, Carrefour, Intermarché, U and Auchan, retailers called her remarks reductive, argued many input costs are falling, and confirmed they would skip Tuesday’s session at Bercy.
- The finance ministry said the committee meeting would proceed at 10 a.m. on Tuesday despite the boycott.
- France’s fraud authority fined Eurelec, E.Leclerc’s European purchasing group, more than €33 million for missing the deadline for certain 2025 contracts.
- Genevard cited threats to delist brands and the January complaint from Lactalis against a buying alliance tied to Intermarché, Auchan and Casino, and said she will push for EU rule changes at the upcoming Salon de l’Agriculture.