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JEAN ARTHUIS, chairman of the Committee on Senate Finance

EFFORTS made by the Government to redress the balance of power between suppliers and distributors are, in the opinion of Jean Arthuis, "not enough". According to the chairman of the Committee on Finance of the Senate, the major national brands have long found the parade to continue to receive commissions on the part of their suppliers, producers and agribusinesses, while escaping the tax administration. "Before Christmas, at the time of discussion in the Senate of the law Chatel to the development of competition serves consumers, I pointed to the practices of the five major national who tend to ask their suppliers to pay a fee ostensibly intended to contribute to the international development of their group, said Jean Arthuis.

The suppliers are forced to pay - about 1% of the contract price past - to a company based in Switzerland, every major retailer with its own legal entity outside of France for some in Zurich and the other in Geneva . However, these practices are neither more nor less than a new form of rear margins, incrementing the sale price of products to consumers. Worse, since the state is trying to impose greater transparency on prices, it tends to reinforce and the amount of commissions has increased. "

This is not the first time that Jean Arthuis calls on the government to intervene in such practices "astonishing". Four years ago, Senator (MoDem) de la Mayenne had broached the subject with Renaud Dutreil, then Secretary of State for SMEs, Trade, Craft and Consumer Affairs. "It remains that the government has never sought to proceed with an investigation," regrets he says. Believing "between 500 million to 1 billion euros" the amount of profits generated in this way by the major distribution chains French, "suggests Jean Arthuis" Christine Lagarde "watch this issue closely and see with Eric Woerth , Minister for the Budget, if the tax french would not be interested. "