Amid France’s opposition to the European Union-Mercosur trade deal, major French supermarket chain Carrefour has pledged not to sell meat linked to the agreement, aligning itself with French farmers’ concerns.
“Carrefour wants to stand united with the agricultural sector and is now committing to not market any meat from Mercosur,” said Carrefour CEO, Alexandre Bompard, in a letter addressed to the National Federation of Agricultural Holders’ Unions (FNSEA), the country’s largest farmers’ union.
The Mercosur bloc is made up of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Bompard emphasised in the letter the decision was made “in solidarity with the farming community”.
“Everywhere in France, we are hearing the dismay and anger of farmers faced with the proposed free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur”, said the boss of France’s second-largest retailer, on November 20.
Par solidarité avec le monde agricole, Carrefour prend l’engagement de ne commercialiser aucune viande en provenance du Mercosur. Tel est le sens de mon message aux présidents des syndicats agricoles. pic.twitter.com/bGo3ttA7Yt
— Alexandre Bompard (@bompard) November 20, 2024
Contacted by Brussels Signal, the FNSEA declined to comment on the letter but expressed satisfaction with the recent demonstrations against the deal organised alongside the Jeunes Agriculteurs (Young Farmers’ Union).
“We successfully highlighted our opposition to the agreement,” stated the FNSEA’s press officer.
The union also announced plans for a new wave of protests in the week starting November 25, this time focusing on “the challenges” that the farming industry faced in France.
The agriculture sector fears the Mercosur deal will flood European markets with cheap foreign produce.
A study published by the French economic magazine Capital in February 2024 revealed that 97 per cent of pork, 90 per cent of beef and 96 per cent of chicken sold in French supermarkets were sourced from within France.
Only a few products, such as bananas, avocados and lamb were imported from outside the European Union.
French farmers have taken to blockading Paris over a trade deal between South American Mercosur countries and the European Union. https://t.co/0ALozPsAzX
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) November 18, 2024
In his letter, Bompard urged other major retail chains and the catering industry to join him in his stand.
“I call on the catering industry, which accounts for over 30 per cent of meat consumption in France – 60 per cent of which is imported – to join us in our commitment,” he said.
Bompard argued that was the only way to “side with French farmers”.
However, EuroCommerce, the European supermarket lobby, is in favour of the deal. It issued a joint statement with 78 other business associations urging for “the conclusion of the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement negotiations” to be sped up.
“The associations highlight the importance of the EU-Mercosur agreement, emphasising that it can help mitigate the challenges posed by geopolitical instability and supply chain disruptions,” they wrote.
EuroCommerce’s members include the Commerce, Services and Distribution Federation (FCD), of which Bompard has been president since 2023. However, the FCD does not appear among the signatories of the document
Nevertheless, the French Government has vowed to pressure Brussels to drop the EU-Mercosur trade deal.
Emmanuel Macron has pledged to block the proposed EU-Mercosur trade agreement as farmers across France ramp up pressure on the government to defend their interests. https://t.co/12HqErwXk7
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) November 18, 2024
