The end of the systematic printing of receipts, planned in France from January 1, 2023, will finally come into force on April 1, according to an implementing decree published this Thursday, December 15 in the “Official Journal”.
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“The government has decided to postpone the date of entry into force to April 1 next” the end of the systematic printing of the receipt, a measure resulting from the law “anti-waste”told AFP the cabinet of Olivia Grégoire, minister delegated in particular to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and trade.
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“Track daily expenses”
“The context explains this decision”added this source, referring to “feedback from distributors and consumer associations indicating that the receipt remains for many French people an important element in checking the prices of products purchased, in the face of inflation”.
Another important element for traders is that they “did not know the precise provisions of the terms and conditions for issuing the ticket” for lack of publication of the decree of application of the measure, intervened this Thursday, underlined the cabinet of Olivia Grégoire. Waiting for April ensures “a long enough time for them to adapt”we clarified.
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The law “anti-waste and circular economy”, voted in 2020, planned to put an end to the printing of the receipt at the end of a commercial transaction, unless explicitly requested by the customer. With the aim of reducing the production of waste.
But since this law, high inflation, particularly on prices in supermarkets, has made it more frequent for consumers to consult the receipt. It allows them to “track their daily expenses”as many consumer associations pointed out in April.
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“The measure remains important”
ADEIC, AFOC, ALLDC, CNAFAL, CNAFC, CSF, Familles de France, FNAUT, Familles Rurales, INDECOSA-CGT, UFC-Que Choisir and Unaf, i.e. twelve of the fifteen member associations of the joint advisory body that is the National Consumer Council, had then published a rare joint press release to demand that the printing of the receipt be “systematically offered” to the consumer.
“We’re not coming back” on the end of the systematic printing of the receipt, “the measure remains important to accelerate the ecological transition”, we answer the office of Olivia Grégoire. According to this source, each year nearly 30 billion slips are printed, most of them ending up in the trash while their small size makes them “difficult to collect and recycle”.
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Postponing the entry into force of the measure will allow “Communicate on the fact that the consumer will be able to obtain his receipt if he wishes” and if he so requests from the merchant. This will be important especially in case of doubt on the final bill, or in case of exchange of a gift for example.
