"The conflict in Iran really needs to be resolved" : mass distribution is alert, prices will increase if the war continues

They are sounding the alarm. Large retailers fear a rise in prices in supermarkets if the war in the Middle East is not resolved quickly, at least that is what Alexandre Bompard, head of the Carrefour group, and Dominique Schelcher, boss of Cooperative U, say in interviews.West Franceand auParisian. 

For the moment “prices are stable”, assures the CEO of Carrefour, even if he affirms that “the battle against inflation is never won” and that for the moment “the increase is around 1%”. But the situation could not last because the rise in fuel prices affects everyone.Â

“We too have thousands of trucks on the roads to deliver to our customers, but we absorb these costs”, explains the CEO of Carrefour while affirming that “If the international crisis lasts over time, certain industrial raw materials will increase (fertilizers, plastic, etc.). This will only impact prices next year, following new negotiations.”

Towards an increase in prices at the start of the school year?

On France Inter this Thursday, Alexandre Bompard added: “All the impacts of the current crisis will concern tomorrow’s harvests (…) Next year, we should have higher prices” but “prices will remain stable in the coming weeks on food.”

Same story from Dominique Schelcher, boss of the U Cooperative. “The conflict in Iran has, for the moment, no impact on the prices of consumer products. Inflation has only increased due to fuel prices,” he explains. West France. While admitting that certain products are increasing such as meat, eggs or sardines (“because there is a shortage of the latter”).

“We are reaching the stage where we really need the conflict in Iran to be resolved, the routes of circulation to be freed and the supply chains to relax on a certain number of products, such as plastic. For the moment, we are at the limit to which everyone can hold. But if, at the start of the school year, there is no improvement, yes, there will be impacts,” he warns.

In the National Assembly, the Prime Minister warned on Tuesday May 19 that this energy crisis is set to last. This Thursday, Sébastien Lecornu must announce new measures to combat the rise in fuel prices, in particular an expansion of support for heavy drivers and a boost to companies to encourage the payment of bonuses to employees