Carrefour, found itself at the center of a diplomatic and commercial storm with Brazil. It all started with an announcement made in France by Alexandre Bompard, CEO of the group, who affirmed that Carrefour stores would no longer sell meat from Mercosur countries if the trade agreement between the European Union and this economic bloc was adopted.
Carrefour's mea culpa in the face of Brazil's anger
But this position caused an outcry in Brazil, where the group generates almost a quarter of its annual turnover, or 21.4 billion euros in 2023. Faced with calls for a boycott and suspension of the supply of beef by local producers, Carrefour quickly tried to defuse the crisis. In a letter addressed to the Brazilian Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Favaro, the CEO of the group presented his “ excuses », attributing this controversy to “communication problems”.
To calm the situation, Carrefour published a press release affirming that the decision of its stores in France not to sell Mercosur meat was not intended to call into question its partnerships with Brazilian producers. “ We know that Brazilian agriculture provides high quality meat, respecting standards and appreciated for its flavor », Wrote Alexandre Bompard. The group also recalled that it continues to source locally in Brazil, where almost all of the meat sold in its stores is produced.
A crisis revealing commercial issues
The Brazilian Association of Meat Exporters (Abiec) welcomed the apology, welcoming the recognition of the excellence of Brazilian products. For its part, Carrefour Brazil announced that deliveries had resumed and that a normalization of supply was expected in the coming days. However, the controversy illustrates the economic and political tensions around the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, to which France is opposed, in particular because of environmental and agricultural concerns.
Beyond this controversy, the case highlights the complex relationships between multinational companies and their international markets. Carrefour, present in eight countries, including Brazil, is required to juggle sometimes contradictory priorities: defending French agricultural interests while preserving its partnerships abroad.
This crisis, although momentary, underlines the importance of controlled communication, particularly on subjects as sensitive as agriculture and international trade. For Carrefour, the challenge was to avoid a lasting impact on its activity in Brazil, a strategic country for the group. With a turnover of nearly 93 billion euros in 2023, the distribution giant could not afford to see its image deteriorate in one of its main markets.
