In support of farmers, the Mousquetaires stop selling strawberries and cherries at the end of the year

Monday 04th November 2024 05:12 PM

Soon to be ancient history, strawberry pie on New Year's Eve? To improve its carbon footprint and support French farmers, the Mousquetaires group announced, this Monday, November 4, 2024, the cessation of the supply of strawberries and cherries – summer fruits – in its Intermarché and Netto stores. , in December and January.

“At the same time, we will strengthen promotions on fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables. The time is no longer for observations but for action, explained Thierry Cotillard, the president of the group. Of course, it is a symbolic decision because sales weigh relatively little in value over the entire section, but if consumers follow us and others, like Leclerc or Carrefour (this brand had already taken a similar initiative in 2021 Editor’s note)do the same thing, cumulatively, it will weigh. »

Also read. Themes, personalities… The program of the Assises de l’Agriculture et de l’Alimentation

The distributor, who wants to double the number of its producers delivering nearby (less than 70 km) its points of sale, has also announced the expansion of the range of its private label Merci !which today guarantees fair remuneration and visibility to 280 farms supplying the Laiterie de Saint-Père-en-Retz (Loire-Atlantique).

More contracts

Les Mousquetaires, who have already developed contractualization, by committing to farmers on prices negotiated upstream, on its milk, pork and beef sections, finally want to go further and develop partnerships also for poultry and AOP cheeses.

Thierry Cotillard also announced the launch of the Intermarché Terroir label, guaranteeing the French origin of its products, while specifying that the latter would be ” complementary “ to the deployment of Origin'Info, the national logo.

On the occasion of the launch of commercial negotiations, the president of the group finally called for more transparency from manufacturers on the origin and cost of agricultural raw materials, saying he was in favor of a construction of prices which would start from Firstly, production costs borne by farmers.