BRASILIA, Brazil — Brazilian beef is returning to the shelves of Carrefour’s grocery stores after a short-lived boycott triggered by comments from the company’s CEO regarding nations within the Mercosur trade alliance.
Carrefour’s CEO, Alexandre Bompard, issued an apology to the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture following backlash over his social media remarks. In these remarks, he stated that member nations of Mercosur—and Brazil in particular—enjoy an unfair competitive edge due to lower standards in environmental and sanitary practices. This statement had been made in a bid to express solidarity with French farmers who were upset about a potential trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
In his apology, Bompard acknowledged the quality of Brazilian agriculture, emphasizing that Brazilian beef is high-quality, adheres to strict regulations, and is flavorful. He expressed regret if Carrefour France’s communication led to misunderstandings or appeared to undermine the company’s partnership with Brazilian agriculture.
The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture shared Bompard’s written apology on its website, reinforcing that the country’s agricultural methods are of superior quality and comply with some of the most rigorous environmental laws globally.
Meanwhile, Atacadao, a major food warehouse chain owned by Carrefour, announced that it anticipates a return to normalcy in the restocking of beef products in the coming days. Notably, meat industry leaders such as JBS and Marfrig had ceased supplying Carrefour during the boycott.
Last week, French farmers started protesting the ongoing negotiations for an EU-Mercosur trade agreement, which could lead to an influx of South American agricultural imports into European markets. These farmers are concerned that such imports may threaten their livelihoods. Although a preliminary deal was established in 2019, further negotiations have struggled to progress due to opposition from various European governments.
Moreover, Brazil’s agribusiness community is anxious about the forthcoming European Union Deforestation Regulation. This regulation may prohibit the sale of products linked to deforestation in the EU if companies cannot provide evidence that their goods are deforestation-free. This regulation extends to key Brazilian exports like soy and cattle, with a significant portion of the nation’s cattle being raised in the Amazon region. According to MapBiomas, a nonprofit organization, nearly 90% of the land deforested since 1985 in that area is now used for pastures. The timeline for implementing this regulation remains unclear.