Hotels and restaurants in São Paulo have joined forces with entities linked to agribusiness and are asking after the global president of the French company, Alexandre Bompard, published that the French chain would not offer meat produced in countries in its outlets at its points of sale.
Although, the following day, Carrefour stated that the measure would only apply to stores in France and that it did not refer to the quality of the South American product – but rather to demand from the agricultural sector in the European country –, the veto generated a wave of criticism and requests for retraction from agribusiness entities.
First was a joint statement from Abiec (Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries), ABPA (Brazilian Animal Protein Association), Abag (Brazilian Agribusiness Association), CNA (Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil), SRB (Brazilian Rural Society ) and Fiesp (Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo) repudiating what they considered attacks made against agricultural production in Mercosur.
It followed other demonstrations, such as by Faesp (Federation of Agriculture and Livestock of the State of São Paulo) and, now, by Fhoresp (Federation of Hotels, Restaurants and Bars of the State of São Paulo).
The entity that concentrates 500,000 companies in the state states that Carrefour’s announcement is “unacceptable” and that the reprisal must persist until the supermarket chain reviews its decision and returns to purchasing meat from Mercosur.
In his statement of repudiation, the executive director of Fhoresp, Edson Pinto, stated that Carrefour should show “more respect for the products that enrich its shareholders”.
“We are more than 500 thousand companies, in the state of São Paulo alone, that will stop purchasing from Carrefour, as long as they insist on disqualifying our meat, questioning a globally proven quality. We request the engagement and adherence of hotel and hospitality companies in this movement, until the retailer goes back on this erroneous and disrespectful positioning”, he stated.
Faesp also wants Carrefour to retract and claims that Bompard’s statements demonstrate not only a protectionist attitude on the part of French producers, but also a lack of knowledge about the sustainability of livestock farming in Brazil.
“Faesp stands in solidarity with the producers and hopes that this isolated fact is rejected and does not influence the country’s exports. It is worth remembering that beef is one of the main commercial items in Brazil”, said, via note, Tirso Meirelles, president from Faesp.
This Friday (22), federal deputy Pedro Lupion (PP), president of the FPA (Parliamentary Front for Agriculture), asked the sector to stop delivering in Brazil.
“We don’t accept it and we won’t accept it. If Brazilian meat is meant to be consumed in Carrefour stores and all its other companies here in Brazil, it’s also good for “, says Lupion in a video posted on social media.
A statement from Carrefour França released last Thursday (21) says that the measure announced the previous day applied only to stores in France and that at no point did it make reference to the quality of meat from Mercosur, “but only to a demand of the French agricultural sector, currently in a context of crisis”.
“All other countries where the Carrefour Group operates, including Brazil and Argentina, continue to operate without any change and can continue to purchase meat from Mercosur. In other countries, where there is the franchise model, there are also no changes”, says the company .
In addition to Carrefour, the Les Mousquetaires Group, owner of the French supermarket chain Intermarché, produces beef, pork and poultry in South American countries as a whole.
