France lacks store wars

OVER the years I have noticed little competition between the supermarkets in France while the big three in the UK (Asda, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s) are in a state of constant price warfare, offering bargains and clearly stating when their prices are lower than their competitors’.

In France it appears the supermarkets are working together to offer the same products during the same week. They always have foires aux vins at the same time and have garden furniture for sale the same week. Recently, I trawled the internet for the best price for a new pool pump but all 10 stores had exactly the same price, to the centime. Is it government “price fixing” or the strangest set of coincidences ever?

John SUTTER, Brittany