A proposal to implement restaurant vouchers akin to holiday gift checks.
France could see a significant shift in the management of meal vouchers, with a draft bill aiming to streamline the system and address concerns of disunity among operators. Ecologist deputy Boris Tavernier proposed the measure on May 13, 2022, aiming to address what he describes as "dysfunctional" practices within the current system.
Meal vouchers, designed to cover a portion of employee meals during workdays, have been a common practice in France for some time. They exist in various forms and have been a point of contention, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill's authors point to the collusion among four key operators - Sodexo, Natixis Intertitres, UP, and Edenred - as a source of abuses, as evidenced by their fines amounting to over 400 million euros for anti-competitive practices in 2023.
Proposed changes to the system include modeling it after vacation checks, with management entrusted to a single operator - the National Agency for Meal Vouchers (ANTR). This could lead to the long-term use of meal vouchers for the purchase of non-immediately consumable food products, a measure that restaurateurs have been critical of for several months.
The bill also seeks to prevent the transfer of titles and incorporate criteria of sustainability and food quality into their use. If passed, the changes could come into effect on January 1, 2027. This date is significant as the decree allowing meal vouchers to be used for all food products has been extended until December 31, 2026.
In a broader context, France is also focusing on its food strategy, potentially realigning meal vouchers with health and sustainability goals. Specific details on how multiple operator issues might be addressed are not yet clear in the proposed draft.
[1] Decree allowing meal vouchers to be used for all food products extended until December 31, 2026.[2] Employer contributions to meal vouchers are tax-free up to a certain limit and must cover between 50-60% of the total voucher cost.
- The proposed changes in meal voucher management, including the extension of the decree allowing their use for all food products until December 31, 2026, are likely to have significant implications for the finance sector, as businesses will need to adapt to the new regulations.
- The political landscape of France may shift in the coming years due to the ongoing debate surrounding meal vouchers, with concerns about disunity among operators, anti-competitive practices, and the potential impact on sustainability and food quality becoming key issues in general-news discussions.
