French parliament reviews meal voucher reform proposing split daily spending limits

Legislative schedule and bill provisions

The French National Assembly Social Affairs Committee is reviewing a draft bill submitted in early June to permanently authorize grocery purchases with meal vouchers. Plenary debates will begin on the Assembly floor on 12 October, following committee deliberations. The legislation will make permanent a temporary framework introduced in 2022 that allows roughly 6 million French employees to purchase all food items in supermarkets. If adopted, the reform will enter into force on 1 January 2028, prolonging the existing transitional rules until that date. The text also requires the complete dematerialization of vouchers, allows donations to food aid charities, and mandates annual fee disclosures by voucher issuers.

Proposed dual spending ceilings

Lawmakers from the MoDem and Renaissance parliamentary groups have submitted amendments to establish a split daily ceiling. Between 73 and 86 amendments have been filed ahead of the committee sessions. Under the proposed mechanism, the current €25 daily spending limit will remain unchanged for restaurant dining, while supermarket purchases will face a reduced ceiling of €10 or €15 per day. Proponents argue that a lower grocery threshold will preserve the original purpose of the meal voucher system, which began in 1962 to support worker meals outside the office. Serge Papin, the Minister for Small and Medium Enterprises and Commerce, indicated openness to government discussions regarding the dual ceiling.

Industry positions on consumer spending

The legislative debate has divided restaurant trade groups and large grocery retailers. Data presented in the debate shows that nearly six out of ten vouchers are now used outside restaurants, driven by expanded teleworking and household food costs. The Union of Hospitality Trades and Industries, representing 175,000 restaurants, has endorsed the split ceiling to safeguard hospitality establishments from retail competition.

It is the only fair and balanced response to support the purchasing power of employees without penalizing activity and employment in our territories.

The Federation of Commerce and Distribution, representing supermarket groups such as E. Leclerc, Carrefour, and Intermarché, opposes the restriction. The retail federation maintains that meal vouchers are an employee social benefit rather than a mechanism designed to guarantee revenue for a specific commercial sector.

Consumer routines and retail impact

For French workers receiving monthly voucher allocations of up to €200, supermarket redemption has become an established routine. Future decree regulations under the bill will exclude specific items such as alcohol, confectionery, infant food, and pet products from voucher eligibility. Consumers who rely on the full €25 daily allowance for groceries have voiced concern regarding the proposed lower supermarket caps. Tatiana, an employee and mother of three, described the financial importance of the current grocery threshold.

I am a mother, I have three children, so grocery shopping adds up quickly.

Supermarket staff, including cashiers at chains such as Super U, note that voucher payments represent steady transaction volume during evening and lunchtime shopping hours. The National Assembly will debate whether to retain the uniform €25 limit or adopt the split threshold when floor proceedings begin.