Political issue in France – 29 cents per bar: supermarket chain starts the baguette war – News


contents

How much can it cost? France is currently discussing this hotly. For France, the baguette is more than just bread.

What was the trigger for the Baguette War? The French supermarket chain Leclerc has frozen the price of a baguette at 29 cents – and promises not to shake it for at least six months. A guarantee for such a low price for a loaf of white bread at a time when raw material prices are rising – that did not go down well with the bakeries and the agricultural association.

Leclerc, while not lowering the price, has frozen it. Bottom line, it’s the same.

They claim that Leclerc is producing below production costs because grain and flour have become around 50 percent more expensive in the last year. This is also reflected in the price of bread, which many bakeries increased by 5 to 15 percent last year. “Leclerc is not lowering the price, but has frozen it,” says SRF France correspondent Daniel Voll. Bottom line, it’s the same.

How much do the other providers charge? At other large supermarket chains such as Casino, a baguette costs around twice as much. At neighborhood bakeries you pay up to four times as much. Other discounters such as Aldi currently charge 35 cents.

Legend:

No ordinary bread, but part of the French culinary tradition: the baguette.

key stone

Lidl has already given in and lowered the price of a baguette to 29 cents. The government will soon have to check whether Lidl and Leclerc chains are selling the bread too cheaply, says Voll. “There is a law that says dumping prices are not allowed.” It can be assumed that this investigation will take even longer. This means that the results will probably only come after the presidential elections of April 10, 2022.

How are politicians reacting? Economics Minister Bruno Le Maire intervened in the discussion and defended consumers’ freedom of choice. “He knows that the price of bread is also a politically sensitive issue, like the price of petrol,” explains the SRF correspondent. In an interview, Le Maire said: Anyone who wants or has to eat simple, cheap, plain bread should be able to do so. And anyone who can afford good bread from a specialist should also be able to buy it. A balancing act: “Three months before the elections, it’s actually pretty clear why,” Voll is convinced.

Legend:

Leclerc started the 29-cent campaign around ten days ago. The chain has its large stores mainly in the outskirts, not in city centers.

key stone

Why is the baguette price such a political issue? The head of the group, Michel-Edouard Leclerc, is an old retail professional, as Voll explains. «He always wants to be the cheapest. And of course he knows that bread is a very price-sensitive and emotional product.» That’s why the price of bread is so preoccupying for the French.

This campaign is primarily an advertising campaign. And it worked.

A baguette is not a normal bread, but part of the French culinary tradition. “For example, there are competitions for the best baguette bread every year,” Voll knows. And the government is also helping to build the myth of the baguette stick. “A year ago, she applied for the baguette to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.” Leclerc took that into account. That is why this campaign is primarily an advertising campaign. “And it worked.”

source site-72