Limiting the commissions received by companies that issue food vouchers is not “the most appropriate response” to “market failures,” said the Competition Authority on Tuesday, contacted by the Government studying said regulation. On the other hand, the authority recommends in particular “making the dematerialization” of food vouchers mandatory, a solution announced by the government for 2026.
Although the Minister of Commerce, Olivia Grégoire, had also mentioned the possibility of limiting commissions, the authority “considers that, if limiting prices can constitute a response to market deficiencies, in this case it does not constitute the most appropriate response.” appropriate,” according to a press release. The limitation “would not correct the dysfunctions observed in the food voucher market and would have uncertain effects,” the authority considers.
Food vouchers are financed up to 50 or 60% by employers, a contribution exempt from social security contributions. They can also be used in the supermarket to pay for food purchases, from Monday to Saturday. Restaurant owners who accept food vouchers as payment pay a commission to the issuing companies. Thus, for a meal paid for 10 euros in food vouchers, with a commission of between 3 and 5%, the restaurateur pays between 30 and 50 cents.
“Rebalance the balance of power”
The Competition Authority, however, “invites” the Government to seek “a structural solution aimed at rebalancing the balance of power in the market, putting an end to the monopoly exercised by each issuer over its securities against the operators, so that this The latter may have real bargaining power.
The authority also suggests the “establishment of approval of issuers and exhaustive advertising of approved companies.” It also recommends, beyond dematerialization, “more transparency and legibility of prices.”
Edenred, Up, Natixis Intertitres and Sodexo were sanctioned in 2019 by the Competition Authority to pay a total of 415 million fines for anti-competitive practices. They have appealed this fine and the decision should be made at the end of November.
Source: BFM TV
