Quick Take — France: negotiations between large-scale retailers and independent retailers could prevent price rises of 37 per cent

This advert appeared recently in various newspapers in response to a number of political attacks on the way the French retail sector manages its procurement.

The clear message for an Italy that often acts in a ‘disorganised’ manner is this: the French large-scale retail sector (Leclerc, Carrefour, Intermarché, Système U and Auchan) is not afraid – of the government, the competition authorities, etc. – and stands united against brand manufacturers to protect French consumers’ purchasing power from inflation.

And this is regardless of the policy and methodology used to calculate any price increases.

Quick Take — Lidl pasta, EU Court: tricolour on labels can mislead consumers

At the centre of the dispute are the Italiamo (with the depiction of the tricolour shield and the words ‘Italian Passion’ on the packaging) and Combino (with images of Italian landscapes and the words ‘Italian speciality’) lines. In both cases, the Antitrust Authority ruled that the emphasis on Italianity misled the consumer, as the wheat used was largely foreign (EU and non-EU) and this information appeared only on the side or on the back, with very small and hardly legible graphic characters…

The Court of Justice of the European Union has put an end to the long legal battle over Lidl brand pasta, confirming that the use of patriotic symbols to disguise the foreign origin of wheat is an unfair commercial practice. In ruling C-301/25 filed on 30 April 2026, the Luxembourg judges agreed with the Italian antitrust authority (Agcm), reaffirming that the €1 million fine imposed on the supermarket chain is legitimate: transparency on the packaging must be immediate and cannot be hidden among the small print on the back of the package.

This slip tarnishes the image of Lidl, which would like – and has the potential – to be ‘branded’.

The image below is by Paolo Caruso (LinkedIN).

Lusetti (Confcommercio): ‘Let’s not harass farmers. Price rises cause energy and climate’ (and raw materials)

The fact of not dealing directly with farmers CANNOT be a boast because it means that those who buy, in the large-scale retail trade, are not doing it well because they accept intermediaries and opacity in the purchase prices and margins of all the actors in the chain. Most probably, by negotiating directly with farmers, they could obtain better prices that would benefit their customers