the potential of utilizing them in supermarkets in 2025 threatened, in response to the resigned authorities | EUROtoday

Using your meal vouchers on the grocery store might now not be potential after the 1^er January 2025. This is what the Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs of the resigning authorities, Laurence Garnier, mentioned on Monday December 9 on France Bleu Loire Ocean, estimating that the autumn of the Barnier authorities will forestall the Senate from voting on the renewal of the system on time.

While the present regulation permits sure meals merchandise to be bought on the grocery store with meal vouchers solely till December 31, 2024, a two-year extension of this deadline was voted on the finish of November by the National Assembly, and needed to be confirmed by a vote within the Senate.

However, the Senate Social Affairs Committee has solely deliberate to look at this extension on Wednesday on one situation: {that a} authorities has been appointed by that date. Too tight a schedule, in response to Laurence Garnier. “This exemption, which was permitted by law, (…) will no longer be possible from 1^er January “judged the outgoing minister.

“The French will no longer be able to use their meal vouchers from January 2, 2025 for their shopping for flour, butter, oil and all food products that are not directly consumable”she mentioned once more on Monday on X. “Less purchasing power thanks to the National Rally allied with the far left”she additional deplored, echoing the adoption of the movement of censure by the addition of the votes of the New Popular Front, together with the “rebellious” deputies, and people of the National Rally and their Ciottist allies.

The system currently allows 5.4 million employees in France to use their “restaurant vouchers” to purchase products requiring preparation on the shelves (flour, pasta, rice, meat, etc.).

Restaurateurs deplore this. “The meal voucher becomes a food voucher, it definitively loses its purpose”said Catherine Quérard, president of the employers’ union of restaurateurs GHR, in mid-November.

According to the GHR, the share of receipts from meal vouchers in catering has decreased over the past two years, while that spent in mass distribution has increased from 22.4% at the end of 2022 to 30.1% in mid-2024. Thierry Marx, head of the other organization in the sector, Umih, had already spoken out in mid-October against the extension of the exemption which he described as “scandal”.