Supermarkets ‘must publicise margins’

SUPERMARKETS will be obliged to publicise their margins, so as to encourage lower prices, if a law passed by MPs gets a final green light.

Alpes-Maritimes MP Christian Estrosi, who submitted the law, told his local paper the Nice Matin the idea should become law by the end of the year if it is also passed by the senators.

The law will oblige large and medium-sized supermarkets to regularly communicate their margins to a price monitoring body, which will then publicise them to the press.

Mr Estrosi said: “People have a right to know which brands are piling on too much financial pressure. The big chains put pressure on the producers, who have lost their own margins, and on the consumers, who are paying more and more.”

He said over the last ten years margins have increased by up to 50% on certain products, including staples like milk and flour.

The law includes sanctions for non-compliance, including €75,000 for a first offence, or twice as much for a second.