in Paris, the end of meal vouchers at the supermarket by 2025 irritates customers

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The meal voucher at the supermarket checkout, it's almost over. With government censorship, the law providing for an extension of the use of meal vouchers in supermarkets is suspended. From now on, as before 2022, Parisians will only be able to use it in restaurants or supermarkets provided that the items are products to be enjoyed immediately.

A last minute extension in 2023

Pasta, rice, butter and other products requiring a trip to the kitchen to be enjoyed can no longer be purchased with meal vouchers. “ I find it a shameit’s still very practical to be able to do your shopping with restaurant vouchers,” Amélie reacts to the news. This thirty-year-old, scanning her items at the checkout of a Super U in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, regrets: “I sometimes prepare my work lunches at home from what I buy in the supermarket, to save money. » Nina, 28, is “annoyed”. The young woman explains that she uses her card mainly to pay for lunch and “to do part of his shopping ».

This will impact my professional lunches.

In the summer of 2022, the government authorized the use of meal vouchers at supermarket checkouts for any food item. In a constant inflationary context, the measure was extended on November 30, 2023 for the year 2024.

A meal voucher and a food voucher

This time, the censure voted by the deputies will not allow this extension. “It’s a subject that has been on the table for several years, so I'm not surprised», recognizes Jules, bag of apples in hand. He only takes out his meal voucher card for shopping and food deliveries. Like him, 23% of Ile-de-France residents order meals delivered to work or their home.

Among the 5.4 million holders of meal vouchers, 28% live in the Paris region . Less than half of the latter (39%) use this system to pay the bill at the restaurant, according to a survey conducted by Vivavoice in March 2024. In fact, 51% of Parisian employees favor home-made dishes for their meals. at lunch time.

For his part, Frank Delvau, president of the UMIH of Île-de-France, is delighted with the situation. “This will allow reopen the debate
on the use of meal vouchers and the need to invent a food title», he hopes. According to him, the next government will have to take up this subject: “We must have a frank discussion on meal vouchers, cost, use… All this, in a difficult economic environment for the French and for our profession. »

I plead for a double level. For example, 20 euros acceptance in supermarkets and why not 40 euros usable in restaurants.

For the Parisians at the Super U checkout in the 11th arrondissement, there is no question of having lunch at the restaurant in 2025. “I won't go to the restaurant anymore,” Nina already assures. “I have the equivalent of8 euros per day on my cardso going to a restaurant with it is not profitable,” confides this architect from the north-east of the capital.

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