With inflation hitting the French budget hard, the idea of food check resurfaced. Long debated, this system is now at the heart of discussions on the fight against food insecurity. The Montaigne Institute, in a recently published report, underlines the urgency of acting in the face of a worrying reality: the food supply of the poorest households has become a variable in budgetary adjustment, with direct consequences on public health.
An alarming nutritional situation
The figures are chilling: according to the Montaigne Institute, a 8 year old child already consumed as much sugar as his grandparents did throughout their lives. The progression of obesity in France is dazzling. Today, one in five adults is obese, a proportion that has doubled in twenty years. In this context, food becomes not only a public health issue, but also a key factor in social divide.
A working group for concrete solutions
These are the conclusions of a working group convened during eighteen monthsincluding major players in the agri-food industry such as the Bel, Sodexo and Cooperative U groups, who are relaunching the debate. The report, entitled “Food divide, common ills, collective remedy”, proposes six key recommendations. Among these, the food check appears to be an essential lever to guarantee access to quality food, in particular for households most affected by hyperinflation.
An idea that divides… but moves forward
Despite divisions over the form this check could take, the idea of food aid is gaining ground. The government seems to have realized the urgency of the situation, while remaining cautious about how to operationalize this measure. Will it be conditional on the purchase of healthy products? Will it be extended to a large population or only to certain households? The debates remain openbut the importance of acting quickly is now shared by a majority of stakeholders.
The food check, once seen as a temporary measure, is today considered a structural response to a question of general interest. Its adoption could well redefine social policy regarding food in France.
France
