Meal vouchers: they will no longer be able to be used in supermarkets from January 1, 2025, we explain why

After the censorship of the Barnier government and therefore of a budget law still not voted on in the National Assembly, one of the direct consequences has repercussions on restaurant vouchers. Initially, the extension of their use had been adopted by the deputies but without a finance law voted on, it was not possible to apply it.

On Wednesday, November 20, the National Assembly voted on a text extending the authorization of payment in restaurant vouchers for non-consumable products in supermarkets.“The priority was to respond to the emergency and to ensure that the French did not have any unpleasant surprises in January 2025”, explained Laurence Garnier, Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs after the vote. A decision that extended the system until December 31, 2026.

However, questioned by Ouest France, the Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs confirmed that this extension could no longer be applied, “a direct consequence of censorship for nearly 6 million French people”.

A possible future reintroduction ?

Before the end of 2024, no budget should be voted. “If the text is adopted in accordance with the law by December 31, they will no longer be able to use their restaurant vouchers in January 2025 in supermarkets for their purchases of non-directly consumable food products” explains Laurence Garnier, the resigning Secretary of State. With the censorship, many Senate works are suspended.

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On France Blue, she claims that this exemption should have been “examined by the Senate, this week” after having been voted “unanimously by the deputies”. With the censure, many of the Senate's works are suspended. “Then the law must be adopted in accordance with the rules: with a minister on the ministers' bench. However, without a government…”, explains Jean-Michel Rousseau, vice-president of the National Commission for Restaurant Vouchers to Actu.fr.

He also specifies that the deputies were rather in favor of a two-year extension, while the Senate was in favor of a one-year extension. Here too, the two chambers will have to agree.

On the other hand, a “special” law is “ready” according to the government to be able to apply the budget for the year 2024 in a few articles, while waiting for a new government and a new budget law.

In other words, from January 1, 2025, meal vouchers will have to be used for restaurants and products initially eligible, as before the launch, therefore only products that can be consumed directly, before potentially a new budget that would allow this system to be reintroduced and therefore an agreement between the two chambers. A measure that affects around 5.4 million beneficiaries since its creation in 2020.