The battle of inflation is “not yet” won, believes Michel-Édouard Leclerc

Michel-Édouard Leclerc still opposes Bruno Le Maire. If the Minister of the Economy affirmed at the end of November that “overall, inflation today has been defeated and it is a real economic success”, the emblematic boss of the E.Leclerc centers is not on the same wavelength. Invited this Sunday noon on BFMTV, Michel-Édouard Leclerc estimated that the battle against inflation was “not yet” won. “We have to go and fight,” he added, while inflation slowed down sharply in France in November, to 3.4% over one year after 4.0% in October according to INSEE.

“He anticipates,” replied the president of the strategic committee of the number one distribution group in France, when asked about the enthusiasm of the Bercy tenant. However, Michel-Édouard Leclerc wanted to be optimistic about the outcome of the fight against rising prices. “Next year, we understand that inflation in our stores will not exceed 2-3%, that is to say it will remain within general inflation,” he said, specifying that the effects of slowing inflation should be felt in the wallets of the French from “February, March”.

While the annual commercial negotiations with distributors are underway, having been brought forward this year by a few weeks, to end on January 15 or 31, the famous boss reaffirmed “to seek from the large multinational manufacturers something negative to compensate yesterday's hyperinflation. “We will apply the price reductions immediately, from February,” he repeated, announcing reductions on cereal-based products (pasta, pizzas, etc.) or coffee. “At the beginning of 2024, there will be very significant declines in white, on home furnishings, of almost -10%,” he also declared, for example on sheets or tablecloths.