Inflation: tomato producers denounce the “abusive” margins of large retailers

New illustration of the war between supermarkets and producers. In a press release published at the end of last week by Légumes de France, French tomato producers "denounce excessive margins on the part of certain supermarket chains", describing the latter as "an arsonist firefighter who asphyxiates French producers".

To support its point, the federation of vegetable producers relies on data from the national agricultural office, FranceAgriMer. “The gross margin on the vine tomato from France had already reached 1.82 euros at the end of March, i.e. a margin rate of 84% against 28% on the 3-year average”, notes Légumes de France. Over the last week studied, that of April 10-16, “it was 1.64 euros, i.e. a margin rate of 73% against 55% on average over 3 years”, adds the federation. "The margin rates observed at the start of the campaign are quite unprecedented," laments Yann Le Cunff, animator at the Association of Tomato and Cucumber Producers of France (AOPn).

It should be recalled, however, that the gross margin for fruit and vegetables corresponds "to the unit commercial margin of large-scale distribution considered as a whole (purchasing centres, logistics platforms of brands and stores)" and "can also include the wholesalers' commercial margin", describes FranceAgriMer. The margins observed are therefore not to be attributed solely to the account of the last link in the chain.

By applying, according to the producers, such high margins, large retailers endanger the financial health of producers and excessively high prices for end consumers diverting them from French products in favor of imported products (origin Morocco)”, criticizes the press release of Légumes de France. "An attitude that reflects the lack of consideration of these brands for their commitments to food sovereignty, however declaimed at length in advertisements", criticizes the federation. "It could ultimately divert consumers from French products," adds Yann Le Cunff.

On the side of the signs, we defend ourselves from making our butter on the backs of the producers. "The margin that we take on French or Spanish tomatoes is the same, and has even dropped", we are assured at Système U: professionals have collected part of the inflation of inputs on their margins, pleads your. “What the producers actually blame us for is not having only French tomatoes on the shelves”, we believe, the reason being that they are “more expensive than Spanish or Moroccan ones”. The other brands contacted did not react.

Like other fresh fruits and vegetables, the price of tomatoes has soared thanks to the inflationary shock which has also hit producers. On average, a kilogram of retail tomatoes cost 5.14 euros in March, an increase of 25% in one year (4.09 euros in March 2022), according to INSEE. In detail, according to figures from FranceAgriMer, a kilo of round tomatoes from France (57-67 or 67-82 mm in bulk), in supermarkets and supermarkets, cost 4.89 euros in March (10% compared to April). 2022), against 4.39 euros for its Spanish equivalent (8%) and 4.05 euros for its Moroccan equivalent (98%).