“Shrinkflation” is a practice that consists of reducing the quantity of a product while maintaining or increasing its price. From Monday, July 1, supermarkets of more than 400 m² are required to display a sign alerting consumers to a reduction in the quantities of a product at unchanged prices. This applies to food and non-food products for two months after they are put on sale.
Bottle caps mandatory in EU
All drinks sold with a plastic cap in the European Union must, from Wednesday July 3, be equipped with a system allowing this cap to be kept attached to the container, whether bottle or brick, to prevent them from stranding in the wild.
Housing: evolution of the DPE for small areas
The method of calculating the energy performance diagnosis (DPE) is changing from July 1 for homes of less than 40 m2, with a modification of the thresholds of the DPE labels applying to these homes. The objective, according to the government website Service-Public, is “to make these different thresholds fairer and to remove a certain number of small areas from the category of “energy sieves””.
According to the government, this corrects a “bias” that disadvantaged small areas. This change should allow 140,000 homes to move out of energy classes F and G, the worst, which should gradually be subject to rental bans.
Owners of the affected homes can obtain a certificate with their new energy label on the website of the ecological transition agency (Ademe).
Slightly better compensated unemployment
A new savings plan for under-21s
Reserved for those under 21, the climate future savings plan (PEAC) will be marketed from July 1st. It can be opened for your child from birth, with the money only being able to be withdrawn from the age of 18. After a minimum blocking period of five years, withdrawals will be possible. The payment ceiling is set at 22,950 euros and earnings are completely exempt, like the Livret A.
The PEAC funds “are intended to finance the ecological transition”, indicates the Ministry of the Economy and Finance.
Auto and home insurance will increase
The amount of the contribution to the Guarantee Fund for Victims of Acts of Terrorism and Other Offenses increases by 0.60 euros from Monday, July 1, to 6.50 euros per property insurance contract (car, home, etc.). The reason: to increase the resources of the fund, intended to compensate victims of acts of terrorism, people injured, physically or psychologically, or the beneficiaries of deceased persons (spouse, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, brothers and sisters).
Unemployment benefits increased
Unemployment insurance benefits will be increased by 1.2% on July 1. This increase “would affect approximately 2 million job seekers receiving benefits”, out of a total of 2.7 million, according to Unedic. Some beneficiaries of less than six months are not affected.
The rules governing unemployment insurance expire, moreover, this Monday, July 1, requiring a new decree which is long overdue. According to the commitment of the outgoing government, the rules in force must be extended five months before being tightened from December 1: you will have to have worked 8 months out of the last 20 months to be able to be compensated, compared to 6 months over the last 24 months currently. For unemployed people under 57, the maximum duration of compensation will be reduced to 15 months… but a possible change of majority could reshuffle the cards.
Legislative elections: second round on July 7
For the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic, the French are called to vote in July, on Sunday 7, for the second round of the legislative elections… unless their MP was elected in the first round.
Cars, vans: new mandatory equipment
Several safety equipment reserved for high-end cars becomes compulsory from Sunday July 7 for all new cars and vans sold in Europe: speed adapter depending on limitations, lane keeping assistance, radars or reversing camera, attention loss warning and a “black box” on each vehicle.
Rural areas: exemptions for businesses
The new “France Ruralités Revitalisation” zoning, which comes into force on Monday, July 1, to strengthen the attractiveness of rural areas, benefits 17,700 small municipalities. Companies that set up there will be able to benefit from exemptions from corporate tax, business property tax and property tax on built properties.
