This is news that will please the beneficiaries of meal tickets. As part of the law on purchasing power, adopted by Parliament this week, a relaxation of the conditions of use of meal vouchers has been voted, reports BFMTV. These will now be able to allow you to pay for all of your food shopping, and no longer just directly consumable products. The measure will be applied from the start of the school year in September and will remain in force until the end of 2023.
The National Commission for Restaurant Vouchers (CNTR) also won its case by demanding an increase in the daily ceiling for restaurant vouchers, which goes from 19 to 25 euros. As part of the health crisis, they had exceptionally been capped at 38 euros per day, but this measure ended on July 1, 2022, as did the authorization to pay in restaurant vouchers during the weekend.
The initial bill also included raising the maximum amount of a restaurant ticket, from the current 11.38 euros to 15 euros. But the Ministry of the Economy opposed it. However, many voices have been raised to denounce the inconsistency between the amount of restaurant tickets and inflation. Indeed, this amount has only increased by 5.7% in five years while inflation has exceeded 10% according to INSEE.
Limiting the use of restaurant vouchers to immediately consumable products was aimed in particular at preserving restaurants and bakeries, indicates BFMTV. These establishments logically experience a shortfall if consumers eat at home during the lunch break. The state was also a winner. VAT is set at 10% in the catering sector, compared to 5.5% in the small and large food distribution sector, which therefore benefits the tax authorities.
Companies are required to provide meal vouchers to their employees if they do not grant them a lunch bonus and do not offer them a place to have lunch (canteen type). This does not exclude the obligation to provide a catering area within the premises, where employees can store and heat their meals.
