The Autorité de la concurrence announces the visit of a delegation to Martinique
On 29 January 2025, the French government, through the Ministers of the French Overseas Territories and the Economy, requested an opinion from the Autorité de la concurrence on the mark-ups of wholesale importers and distributors of basic food items in Martinique.
This opinion will feed into the French government’s reflections on the problems linked to the high cost of living in Martinique. It follows the signature, on 16 October 2024, by the French State, the territorial collectivity of Martinique and the various operators active in Martinique, of an agreement to combat the high cost of living on the island (Protocole d’objectifs et de moyens de lutte contre la vie chère). To increase transparency in food pricing, the French State committed under Article 22 of this agreement to “increase transparency on the prices and mark-ups of wholesale importers and distributors”, by requesting an opinion from the Autorité de la concurrence and strengthening “the checks carried out by the regional State services, as well as the resources of the regional observatory of prices, mark-ups and revenues (OPMR)”.
Following on from Opinion 09-A-45 of 8 September 2009 on import and distribution mechanisms for consumer goods in the French overseas territories and Opinion 19-A-12 of 4 July 2019 on the functioning of competition in the French overseas territories, the French government asked the Autorité to analyse how prices are set and mark-ups are determined along the entire food retail value chain in Martinique.
As part of this process, a delegation from the Autorité de la concurrence is visiting the island this week, comprising Gwenaëlle Nouët, Deputy General Rapporteur and French Overseas Territories Advisor, and several case officers (rapporteurs) from the Investigation Services.
To be as close as possible to the realities on the ground, the Autorité will meet with business leaders, associations and social partners, as well as with the local and regional public authorities and the prefecture, to discuss the competitive functioning of markets in Martinique.
These meetings will help the Autorité to refine its assessment of the mark-ups of wholesale importers and distributors of basic food items in Martinique, with a view to formulating recommendations that promote the balanced growth of the island’s economy, combining productivity gains for companies with improved purchasing power for Martinique consumers.
The Autorité de la concurrence plans to submit its conclusions to the French government in early 2026.
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