From Monday July 1, certain stores will now be obliged to inform their customers of products affected by “shrinkflation”.
This process involves brands reducing the quantity of a product offered while increasing its price.
Under what conditions should the anti-shrinkflation poster be put up? Explanations.
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A new feature in many supermarkets. This Monday, July 1, some stores will be required to display posters against “shrinkflation” to warn customers of products affected by this phenomenon. This process, which consists of reducing the quantity of a food sold while increasing its price, has been observed on many items sold in recent months. A decree published in the Official Journal on May 4 therefore provides for informing consumers of this practice in the aisles of the products concerned. Under what conditions will this poster have to be put in place? TF1info explains.
What products are covered by this poster?
The decree which governs the entry into force of this new measure specifies the exact products which will now be affected by the rule. Food items, but also non-food items, may be subject to this indication. These will be “prepackaged products with a constant nominal quantity which have undergone a downward change in weight or volume“, states the legislative text.
Where applicable, labels will then have to specify the change in grams or liters of the quantity of the product sold, but also the increase in its price in euros or as a percentage increase. Foods “prepackaged in variable quantities“, such as cut meat or cheese for example, are not affected by this system, just like foodstuffs sold in bulk.
Which stores will have to follow this new rule?
Only stores “predominantly food“of more than 400 square meters will have to apply this unprecedented measure from July 1st. Large areas, i.e. supermarkets or hypermarkets of large-scale distribution, will be the main brands subject to this new rule. The labels will have to be presented”for a period of two months, from the date the product is put on sale in its reduced quantity“. On the other hand, due to their small size, convenience stores, neighborhood food stores or small grocery stores will not be forced to install such displays on their shelves in the event of “shrinkflation.”
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What are the risks if the display is not respected?
Sanctions are provided for in the event of failure to comply with these display rules in supermarkets. An administrative fine can thus be issued. It can reach 3,000 euros for the manager of a store at fault and up to 15,000 euros for the company in question. Fraud Repression can also issue an injunction to act to the supermarket concerned, attaching a daily penalty to it.not exceeding an amount of 3000 euros“, specifies the Consumer Code.
