The government is preparing the creation of a food check for the most vulnerable, but it will not be implemented “Before 2022”, announced Monday, September 6, the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, at a time when fears resurface about purchasing power. The government is waiting “A first report in mid-October and a final report of proposals at the beginning of January 2022”, said the Minister on RMC – BFM-TV.
The creation of this sustainable food check was announced in mid-December 2020 by Emmanuel Macron before the citizens’ convention for the climate. Its establishment was definitively adopted in the Climate and Resilience Law passed in July in Parliament. It would be intended for precarious households in order to buy local, sustainable or even organic products.
“It’s very complicated to implement, I won’t hide it from you. A solution of this type, we have to make sure that it can work ”, said Mr. Le Maire Monday, refuting any blocking of his ministry. Bercy wants to make sure “Let the money go to those who really need it”, he justified.
Inflation is regaining ground in France
The question of household purchasing power resurfaces in this fall, when inflation is regaining ground in France, as elsewhere in the world, thanks to the economic recovery.
In particular, energy prices are experiencing strong increases. In particular, the regulated gas tariff jumped nearly 10% in July, 5% in August and a further 8.7% in 1er September. An increase is also expected on the regulated electricity tariff in February 2022, less than three months before the presidential election.
“We have increased the energy check (…), for me, this is one of the appropriate solutions to the increase in energy prices ”, defended Mr. Le Maire Monday. The government has this year increased the number of beneficiaries of this check intended to help the poorest households to heat themselves. They are now more than 5.8 million to touch, on average, 150 euros.
Mr. Le Maire also said he was opposed to a government boost on the minimum wage at the end of the year. This could, however, record a “Automatic revaluation” to 1er October, based on inflation, recalled the minister. Prices accelerated by 1.9% over one year in August, according to a provisional figure released last week by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee).