Supermarket prices come under fire
Shoppers charged three to four times what big stores pay farmers for meat and milk, says consumer group
SUPERMARKETS have been heavily criticised after a leading consumer group revealed many mark up the price of basic food items by up to four times what they buy them for.
Shelf prices in 1,250 stores across France were three to four times higher than the price paid for the foods – despite virtually no preparation being needed to sell the goods, a survey by UFC-Que Choisir found.
Examples included:
- Chicken breasts on sale for between €9.67 and €9.88 were bought from producers for €2.11.
- Pork chops at €6.54 in the supermarket were supplied for €1.34.
- Milk prices, the cause of recent nationwide farmers’ protests, averaged €0.75 a litre on the shelves while dairies received just €0.29.
The figures come as the Ministry of Agriculture revealed that farmers’ earnings fell 34% in 2009, having already slumped 20% in 2008.
The average farmer now earns €14,500 a year compared to €28,500 in 2007 – and less than at the beginning of the 1990s.
Dairy farmers are the worst off as their income is 54% down on 2008.
Supermarket body, the Fédération des Entreprises du Commerce et de la Distribution (FCD), says Que Choisir has manipulated the figures and not mentioned the work needed to prepare the goods for sale.
However, the inquiry used chicken breasts, pork chops and milk because little preparation work is needed and the cost of production should have been the major part of the selling price.
Supermarket prices were compared to the open market prices paid to suppliers.
FCD president Jérome Bédier said Que Choisir’s figures were incorrect. An example was the pork ribs which had been selling for an average of €4.99 in October, not €6.54 – but this is still a mark-up of 300% from 400%.
