While many predict a month of “red March”, inflation continues to climb: +6.2% in February and nearly 15% for food. Faced with this price increase, Carrefour announces in the Sunday newspaper the launch of an anti-inflation basket made up of 200 products sold at an average of 2 euros and at fixed prices until mid-June. Except that the damage is already done: some consumers are already restricting themselves.
“Something has to be done”
For nearly eight months, when Jean and his girlfriend have been shopping, they have had to adapt to the prices displayed. “We have reduced our consumption of meat, we choose it better and we eat less of it. We really only take seasonal products, or we sometimes also wait for the end of the market because the prices have become absurd”, regrets Jean. “If we didn’t change our consumption, I think the gap at the end of the month would easily be 150 euros.”
And 150 euros difference is also too much for Laurence, whom Europe 1 met at the entrance of a large brand, shopping bag in hand. This is the umpteenth store she goes to find her little morning pleasure, but at reasonable prices. “I can go to three supermarkets to find the one where the coffee is the cheapest. I do not agree to buy four euros a pack of coffee. At the beginning, we were told that inflation was going to be 6%, but there , we are at 10%, we have to do something”, laments Laurence.
“If it continues like this, we are not likely to last long”
And she is not the only one as traders are also calling for help. Youssef is a fishmonger and for the past few weeks, he has often left the truck full of unsold produce from the markets. The price of his merchandise is constantly increasing, so he makes a profit as much as he can. “For example, salmon, we sold it at 29.90 euros, it went to 36.90 euros. This affects customers who complain and since prices are increasing, if it continues like this, we do not risk There is no need to fizzle out. If you start buying goods and end up with them in your hands, there is no point in coming to the market anymore, “said the trader.
And like Youssef, other itinerant traders admitted to Europe 1 doing two to three more markets than a year ago to compensate for the drop in their sales.