PARIS, (Reuters) – Europe’s largest food retailer Carrefour CARR.PA said today it regretted that a pledge to keep South American meat off its shelves in France was perceived as “putting in doubt its partnership with Brazilian agriculture”.
Carrefour said in a statement that it sourced the meat it sold in France almost exclusively from France and the meat it sold in Brazil exclusively from Brazil, adding it would continue to do so.
Brazilian meatpackers stopped supplying the Carrefour group in Brazil after Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard said last week that the trade deal being discussed between the European Union and the Mercosur regional trade bloc presented the “risk of meat production spilling over into the French market (and) failing to meet its requirements and standards”.
His remarks in a social media post addressed to leaders of France’s farm lobbies were blasted by Brazilian agribusiness industry groups, which issued a joint statement calling them “a protectionist stance”.
Bompard’s remarks came amid protests by French farmers against a potential European Union free trade agreement with the bloc formed by Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Carrefour said in its statement: “We never set French agriculture against Brazilian agriculture, as our two beloved countries share a deep love for the land, its cultivation, and quality food …. We are proud to be the leading partner and a historical promoter of Brazilian agriculture.”