French supermarket giant Carrefour has been fending off the fury of Brazilian farmers after its CEO Alexandre Bompard publicly criticised the proposed European Union-Mercosur deal.
Speaking on November 20, Bompard took the side of French farmers on the proposed deal, insisting that Carrefour supermarkets in France would not stock meat imported through the arrangement with Mercosur, a region made up of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
“In solidarity with the agricultural world, Carrefour is committed to not selling any meat from Mercosur,” he wrote on social media, expressing concern meat from the region could “overflow” the French market.
While praised in France, the declaration sparked outrage in Brazil, with several major meat producers in the country halting supplies to Carrefour’s South American stores in protest at the announcement.
South American officials and politicians also commented, with Brazil’s embassy in France publishing a statement condemning Bompard’s comments.
“The Brazilian Government regrets the recent publication by Mr Alexandre Bompard on the social network X concerning Carrefour’s decision to suspend the purchase of meat from Mercosur countries,” it wrote on November 25.
“His statement reflects an unfounded opinion and fears regarding the sustainability and quality of the products offered by Brazilian breeding, which in no way correspond to the commercial practice of Carrefour itself which, every day, offers these same products to its more than 2 million Brazilian consumers and as to a possible risk run by European producers and consumers arising from imports from Mercosur.”
“Brazil respects, democratically, the opposition of any sector to the Mercosur-European Union free trade agreement. Such a position, however, cannot be justified. a public campaign based on the widespread dissemination of disinformation regarding Brazilian producers,” it added.
The Polish Government has adopted a resolution committing it to opposing the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur. https://t.co/0AqNZcs41i
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) November 27, 2024
Other statements were less polite. Mauro Mendes, the Brazilian governor of the agri-intensive state of Mato Grosso, announced he would stop buying from Carrefour entirely.
“The way you treat me, I can treat you, too,” he said, with many others in the state reportedly following the governor’s lead, according to Le Monde.
Carrefour has now backtracked on Bompard’s comments, apologising on his behalf and insisting that the company valued their customers and suppliers in South America.
Bompard himself said on November 26: “If the Carrefour France statement generated confusion and could be interpreted as questioning our partnership with Brazilian agriculture and a criticism of it, we apologise.”
Brazilian meat industry representatives have since welcomed the apology and have expressed hope that business-as-usual will soon be re-established between meat suppliers and the supermarket chain.
“Brazil’s agricultural industry is pleased with the apology and recognition of the excellence of Brazilian products and Brazilian producers by Carrefour’s global CEO Alexandre Bompard,” the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association said in a statement.
“We hope that, with that, the operations of the French chain will be re-established.”
French farmers have taken to blockading Paris over a trade deal between South American Mercosur countries and the European Union. https://t.co/0ALozPsAzX
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) November 18, 2024
