Chairman of the strategic committee of the E.Leclerc centers, Michel-Édouard Leclerc was in Reunion, early February, for a three-day working session with the E.Leclerc Réunion teams, in the context of annual commercial negotiations between suppliers and commercial brands closed on February 28.
“It is also an opportunity to demonstrate education and transparency towards Reunion consumers”, explained in the preamble Pascal Thiaw-Kine, CEO of the E.Leclerc Réunion Movement. Michel-Édouard Leclerc had not returned to Reunion since 2019. As usual, he showed himself determined by developing an argument based on the experience and philosophy of the French number one in mass distribution. “What motivates us today, it's inflation. Because the one that affects Reunion Island is not fair and is notably linked to speculation on raw materials. » Positioning himself as usual as a “whistleblower”, he predicted a “peak inflation between April and June”, without making the price rise inevitable. “We are low price activists, explained Michel-Édouard Leclerc. We negotiate ardently with manufacturers, because certain increases are completely unjustified and there is no reason to make consumers pay them. With E.Leclerc Réunion, we have started in-depth work on the entire cost structure and supply to optimize purchases via our mainland center. In 2023, E.Leclerc will still be the cheapest brand in Reunion”.
“A combat posture” against inflation
What a fight, Michel-Édouard Leclerc regrets having to lead it without “real political support”. “There is not enough support from political decision-makers, because the latter are not aware that inflation is a tax on consumption against which we must fight, he assures. There are too many legislative obstacles, whether in negotiations with manufacturers or in the margins that we must apply”. The president of the centers E.Leclerc is against the bill adopted at first reading on January 18 in the National Assembly, planning to experiment for two years with new rules in commercial negotiations between manufacturers and distributors that are more favorable to the former. A text which should however be modified. “We are in a fighting posture to control inflation. Like in 2020 when we were the first to block prices during confinement or, more recently, that we blocked the prices of BQP. However, we remain very attentive to the sometimes complicated situation of local producers., because we want low and fair prices”, explained, on the other hand, Pascal Thiaw-Kine on local reality.
End of paper prospectuses
Michel-Édouard Leclerc was keen to underline E.Leclerc’s commitments for a “new carbon-free economy”. He announced that the brand will pass, on a national level, zero paper prospectuses by September, including in overseas departments and communities. He also welcomed the success of the plastic bottle recycler b:bot, located in the gallery of the E.Leclerc de la Réserve shopping center. An initiative that cleverly combines two leitmotifs of E.Leclerc : purchasing power (the contribution of plastic bottles is remunerated in vouchers) and environmental protection.
