French retailer Carrefour to freeze prices on 100 products to tackle inflation

A customer pushes his shopping trolley in front of a Carrefour Hypermarket store in Saint-Herblain near Nantes, France. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File Photo 

PARIS – French supermarket retailer Carrefour said it would freeze the prices on 100 of its products, in order to help French people tackle soaring inflation in the country.

Carrefour’s move follows that of other leading French companies which have also taken steps to help the country’s consumers deal with the record inflation, following pressure from President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

In July, French oil major TotalEnergies and shipping giant CMA CGM announced further steps to cut prices. TotalEnergies said it would reduce fuel prices at its service station across France from Sept. 1 until the end of the year, while CMA CGM said it would cut shipping fees by 750 euros per container for imports to France from Asia.

Carrefour said it would be freezing prices until Nov. 30 on a variety of products, ranging from food items to healthcare products and clothing.

Data published earlier this month showed that French inflation stood at a record level of 6.8 percent in July.

Inflation has surged across the world following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has driven up energy prices.