The agribusiness reaction to Carrefour became a threat to the chain’s supply in Brazil. In protest against the French company, which decided not to buy any more meat from Mercosur to sell in France, large Brazilian slaughterhouses suspended the supply of meat to the group in Brazilian territory. Owner of brands such as Atacadão and Sam’s Club, Carrefour is the largest retail conglomerate in the country.
The suspension of meat deliveries was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture. While consumers preach a boycott of Carrefour on social media, bars and restaurants declare that they have stopped purchases from the French chain.
The movement is a response to Alexandre Bompard, who this week made a commitment to “not buy any meat from Mercosur”, which includes Brazilian production. He further said that he wanted to inspire other French companies to do the same.
On Thursday (21), Carrefour Brasil stated that the measure only applied to stores in France. It was no use: Brazilian producers and the Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Fávaro, stated that, if meat is not useful to the French, it is not useful to Brazilians either.
The interruption of supply by meatpackers such as JBS, Marfrig and Masterboi would affect at least 150 stores in the country, according to a report from Estadão. Sources linked to the group told the newspaper that approximately 50 trucks loaded with meat, destined for the Carrefour, Atacadão and Sam’s Club chains, had their deliveries interrupted until Saturday afternoon (23).
Industry representatives indicated that between 30% and 40% of the chain’s meat shelves already show signs of shortages.
Carrefour denies shortages, but avoids commenting on suspension of deliveries
HAS People’s GazetteCarrefour Brasil denied there were shortages in its stores. “The allegation that there is currently a shortage of meat in Grupo Carrefour Brasil stores is unfounded. Such an allegation, conveyed without identifying the source, contributes to misinformation. The product is sold normally in stores. No store is out of stock”, stated the company , in note.
The chain, however, avoided commenting on the suspension of deliveries by slaughterhouses. THE Gazeta contacted three large companies in the sector. So far, only Masterboi has publicly confirmed the suspension of supply. Marfrig said it would not comment on the case, but did not deny the interruption. JBS did not respond.
Carrefour is the largest retail group in Brazil. Its gross sales totaled R$88 billion in the first nine months of 2024, 4.1% above the same period in 2023.
In addition to the Atacadão, Carrefour and Sam’s Club brands, other brands that make up the chain are Bompreço, Nacional and Drogaria Atacadão. According to the group’s most recent report, referring to the third quarter, Atacadão has 374 stores in the country, Carrefour maintains 114 units and Sam’s Club, 58.
Entities say Carrefour’s decision is “unfounded” and “protectionist”
This Saturday afternoon, 42 entities representing the Brazilian productive sector published an open letter in response to the statements made by Carrefour’s CEO. In the text, they classify the French matrix’s decision as “unfounded” and “protectionist”. The entities highlighted that Brazil is a world leader in meat exports and adopts strict sustainability and health control practices.
The letter also emphasizes that in the last 30 years Brazilian livestock farming has increased its productivity by 172% while reducing the pasture area by 16%, reinforcing the country’s commitment to environmental preservation. On Thursday (21), several industry associations had already repudiated Carrefour’s decision (read more below).
Brazilian restaurants join the boycott
On Friday night (22), the Federation of Hotels, Bars and Restaurants of the State of São Paulo (Fhoresp), which claims to represent more than half a million companies in the sector, expressed its rejection of the Carrefour CEO’s speech and joined forces to the boycott.
“We call on all businesspeople in the hotel and food away-from-home sector to engage in reciprocal action, boycotting this supermarket chain as long as it continues to devalue Brazilian products. This is an opportunity to show our collective strength in defense of the economy and the principles that support our gastronomy and agribusiness”, says an excerpt from .
“Attempt to seal the French”, says president of the agricultural bench
For the president of the Agricultural Parliamentary Front (FPA), federal deputy Pedro Lupion (PP-PR), the group’s decision not to sell Brazilian meat in France has to do with a protectionist measure to distort the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur.
The parliamentarian said that he has been holding conversations with entities in the agricultural sector asking them to stop supplying the products “so that they [o Carrefour] understand what it means to respect Brazilian rural producers”.
Lupion reinforced that Brazilian meat exports to France are already very low, at 0.002%. “It means absolutely nothing to us. He is a strident opponent and likes to seal. Carrefour will backtrack because it will feel the loss and dissatisfaction of Brazilian consumers and producers in its pocket,” he declared in a video on Saturday night.
Sector organizations repudiate Carrefour and receive support from the government
On Thursday, there was a strong demonstration from the Brazilian production sector rejecting the Carrefour CEO’s speech. “If it is not useful for supplying Carrefour in France, it is not useful for supplying Carrefour in any other country”, says .
The text is signed by the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries (ABIEC), Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), Brazilian Agribusiness Association (ABAG), Brazilian Agriculture and Livestock Confederation (CNA), Brazilian Rural Society (SRB) and Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP).
The demonstration, Carlos Fávaro: “Well, if it doesn’t serve French people, it won’t serve Brazilians. So, don’t supply meat to this brand’s market here in Brazil.”
“I thought it was a commendable attitude on the part of the Brazilian industry to say ‘so, I’m not going to supply either [ao Carrefour]’. And I support this attitude, which shows sovereignty and respect for Brazilian legislation”, continued the minister speaking to journalists in Brasília.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) had already issued a statement on Wednesday (20), mainly in relation to the quality of national production, which was called into question by the CEO of the supermarket chain.
In his statement, Bompard wrote that the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur – criticized by the French agricultural sector – would bring the “risk of meat production that does not meet its requirements and standards spreading across the French market”. “At Carrefour, we are ready, whatever the price and quantity of meat that Mercosur may offer us,” he stated.
Former deputy of Carrefour Brasil says the headquarters’ decision is “a disaster”
The statements by Carrefour’s global CEO were criticized by a former executive of the group in Brazil. French executive Stéphane Engelhard, who for eight years was the company’s vice-president of institutional relations in the country, said that Bompard’s speech was “inappropriate”, “unbelievable” and “a disaster”.
In an interview with the website The AgribizEngelhard stated that the Brazilian operation accounts for 40% of Carrefour’s global Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, amortization and depreciation).
For him, the statements made by the network’s main executive in the world are based on “lies” about the sustainability of Brazilian meatpacking plants and cause an unnecessary strain on relations with Brazil.
“Competition is competition. Agriculture in France is not competitive and receives a lot of subsidies,” he told The Agribiz. He considers that a boycott of purchases at Carrefour Brasil is difficult to sustain in the long term, but could cause problems for the chain for a few weeks.
In addition to Carrefour, French Danone also attacked Brazilian products
At the end of October, another French giant, . The company’s global vice-president, Juergen Esser, said in an interview with Reuters that the multinational no longer purchased soy from Brazil due to sustainability problems. He provided no basis for the claim.
After strong negative repercussions and a boycott movement by Brazilian consumers, Danone backed down. And he stated that the information disclosed.
For FGV Economics and Law professor Daniel Vargas, the trade war disguised as climate concern “started sooner than anyone imagined”.
“Climate and environment, which should be noble and common causes, are quickly becoming an open weapon in commerce and geopolitics. In the middle of the dispute, a game of narratives, supported more by prejudices than by data and rigorous science”, said Vargas in .
Used to dictating fashion in the world, the French would now be wanting to “mark” Brazil as an outdated model, “even though our environmental virtues are immensely superior to theirs”, said the professor.
For him, a trade war under the environmental banner will be worse for France than for Brazil.
“When French companies throw themselves into the trade war to pretend to be the ‘good guy’, they must remember that, on the other side, there are consumers and leaders who may also react.” He remembered that. “As the carriage moves forward, the measure becomes more necessary than ever”, he emphasizes.
