Foodwatch denounces abuse of certain products

Rafi Cinoun

A survey by the NGO Foodwatch reveals the existence of price scams on a dozen products sold in supermarkets. This organization wishes to challenge the government, which is committed to protecting the purchasing power of the French.

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Scams: supermarkets would have committed abuses

When you see these products, you immediately want to buy and consume them. How can you resist their placards in capital letters and red and yellow patterns? With these products in our cart, we are convinced that we have made a good deal…

This is without counting on the NGO Foodwatch which is the killjoy. Indeed, this NGO has just published, this Wednesday, April 26, the result of an investigation that will bring you back to earth. According to the organization, supermarkets would have committed « abuses » on the prices of certain products sold in batches or in « maxi » format.

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Empty basket at the supermarket – Photo credits: iStock

Following alerts from sympathetic customers of the NGO, the « foodwatchers » conducted their investigation by visiting different supermarkets. This is how they discovered these “scams”. The price per kilo of certain products sold in batches or in large formats is higher than that of products in classic format.

« These formats are sold for a given period, at the head of the gondola, ‘disconnected’ from their usual location so as not to be able to compare… », they add.

Different sizes, different prices

Investigators thoroughly inspected six supermarkets and drive-ins where there were examples of notable price discrepancies. For example, they discovered a difference of about 1 euro on two packet sizes of Nesquik cereal bars. Products sold at Drive de Leclerc Vannes.

One in the classic format costs 11.93 euro, while the other, in “maxi” format, sells for 12.57 euros. At the Drive Carrefour in Vannes, they also found an 11% increase on a Fleury Michon brand product. This is the package of minced chicken, which went from 19.27 euros to 21.40 euros.

« The price per kilo of Pépito LU biscuits increases by almost 25% when they are sold in packs of two, slices of Gouda cheese at Cora are 28% more expensive per kilo when the pack goes from 200 g to 350 », indicates the association.

Audrey Morice considers these practices « totally unacceptable », especially since currently, the French face high inflation.

The NGO urges the government to act

The NGO Foodwatch urges the executive to honor its commitment to support French consumers. Especially in this time of high inflation. The campaign manager of the organization, Audrey Morice accuses, on the air of Franceinfo, the distributors of abuse, with these price scams.

She asks that the government act and keep « its commitment to protect the purchasing power of the French ». And to add that it is not up to consumers to “ensure that the labels are readable on the shelves”. It is rather the role of the distributors and the government, she says.

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The campaign manager asks the State to “put in place regulations” strict and binding. So that the distributors stop these scams.

Audrey Morice wishes to apply to special formats the same regulations that exist today for promotions. In addition, the NGO Foodwatch launched a petition this Wednesday, April 26 to encourage the executive to « act » against these price rip-offs.

Scams: a hidden inflation phenomenon in September 2022

It was consumer complaints that prompted Foodwatch to check in the drives and shelves of the main supermarket chains. Investigators found these 12 products at:

  • Crossroads (Vans)
  • Hyper U (Saint-Ave)
  • Core (Rennes)
  • Leclerc (Vannes)
  • Monoprix (Croisé La Roche) and
  • Auchan (Vélizy 2).

The NGO discovered the price differences by comparing the prices per kilo of the standard sizes and their special sizes. In particular the prices between April 7 and 13.

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In September 2022, Foodwatch had already denounced a masked inflation phenomenon called « Shrinkflation ». In supermarkets, they found that products had changed in weight, but were still selling at the same prices.

Supermarkets would have made these changes on the sly, without the knowledge of consumers. What the association thought of « completely unacceptable » also. She then accused agro-industrial companies manufacturing well-known products in France of impose “hidden inflation” on consumerss.

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