France’s leading consumer association, UFC Que Choisir, is claiming the country’s supermarket chains have increased prices sharply on a number of food products since April this year following a five-month freeze in the run-up to the introduction of the euro.
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UFC’s survey of 1,040 hyper- and supermarket outlets revealed rises of up to 2.6% over a two month period to June ,twice the rate of inflation. The biggest price hikes were found at the Match chain (Casino/Cora group) while the smallest increases (+0.71%) were noted at Intermarché.
“Our calculations are based on price trends for a typical shopping trolley made up of 53 nationally branded products working out at €136.67 (US$133.36),” UFC said.
Goods attracting the biggest increases were some brands of powdered chocolate, breakfast cereals, olive oil, dessert creams, yoghurts and cheeses with hikes ranging from 3.7% to 5.1%.
UFC estimates price increases on some goods is set to continue reaching 10% over the year as a whole.
The French distribution trades federation, FCD, refutes UFC’s claims. Speaking on French TV, FCD president Jerome Bedier said the survey had targeted major brands whose price retailers have no control over and had excluded their own brands, among the lowest on the market.
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By GlobalDataBedier said the food price index , excluding tobacco, published by France’s national statistics office, L’INSEE, for the year to end-July, showed an increase of 1.1%.
By Stuart Todd, just-food.com correspondent
