02/22/2023 | 12:37pm GMT
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Q&A
Management of funds paid by guests in a company restaurant:
Question: if a guest no longer has access to a restaurant for a reason beyond his or her control (end of the restaurant's operating contract, closure of the restaurant by the company, if a company that is a member of an inter-company restaurant leaves the site, long-term illness of the guest, etc. ), what happens to the funds already loaded onto their badge, if these funds were not consumed prior to the above-mentioned situation? Answer: if a contract is lost by Elior to a competitor, the balance of the badges is transferred to the acquiring company. If a restaurant closes permanently or the employee leaves the company benefiting from the catering contract, the balance of the badge is reimbursed individually to the employee who requests it. Question: how much of this unexpended and unreturned money was spent by our company in the last fiscal year? Answer: for Elior France, outstanding badge balances amounted to €825K at the end of September 2022, of which €480K related to closures exceeding one year. Question: how are these funds accounted for? in profit? in provisions to be returned to guests? Answer: in the case of a balance of unpaid badges, because they have not been claimed (small amount, forgetfulness on the part of the employee, etc. ), the balance remains on Elior's balance sheet (debt) and will be reinstated as profit at the end of the statute of limitations (5 years). Handling complaints from guests in a company restaurant:
Question: how can a guest file a complaint with Elior France headquarters when the company restaurant does not respond to the complaint? Answer: for Elior France, the guest fills in the form via the websites or visits the Elior page via social networks (twitter, etc.) For corporate catering: via the TIMECHEF application, table surveys or BVA surveys. Question: is there a complaints department at headquarters? Answer: an automatic filtering of the forms filled in via the website is carried out and then redirected according to the object on the different segments. A Community Manager of the Group communication manages the social networks. For corporate catering, via the TIMECHEF application: we examine each request and ensure that a response is always provided. Question: if the company restaurant does not respond, nor the complaints department at headquarters, does the guest have access to a mediator and if so which one? Answer: the customer always gets an answer, either via the website or by email. 1
Application of the AGEC law, banning disposable tableware for on-sitecatering since January 1, 2023:
Question: Elior communicated in January 2021 its desire to accelerate its zero-waste policy in its restaurants by offering reusable container devices as a responsible alternative to disposable tableware. However, on February 8, 2023, our Group was highlighted by the Ministry of Ecological Transition as one of the companies that had not yet submitted action plans and timetables. The Group was ahead of schedule and is now behind. Where we are today? Answer: since 2021, Elior has pursued an active policy to improve and reduce single-use packaging in several ways:
Experimentation of different reuse systems in the following restaurants:
Uzaje
Vytal (as part of the innovation incubation program)
Definition of a more responsible pricing system for packaging
Substitution of certain plastics, in particular on water bottles and yoghurts with the installation of fountains and the manufacture of home-made yoghurts
The reuse systems that are being tested respond in part to the problems of our restaurants but cannot be deployed throughout the entire perimeter because of the very high cost of the solutions currently on the market. Regarding the AGEC law, the action plans were sent to our restaurants in December 2022. The pool subject to this regulation represents a minor part of our business and a large majority of them already meet the regulatory obligations, or even go beyond the AGEC law by eliminating single-use on take-away sales thanks to reuse solutions. An audit is currently underway at our restaurants to identify precisely those sites that are not yet in compliance with the AGEC law. It is expected that all sites will be in compliance by the second half of 2023. 2

Elior : Q&A (written questions)

The reduction of plastic is a hot topic worldwide. In the EU, for example, there is a ban on various types of disposable plastic. France goes one step further by adopting the Agec law, which prohibits the plastic packaging of, among other things, fruit and vegetables. JASA explains the regulations below:
From 1 January 2022, no fruit and vegetables may be sold in plastic packaging in France. This new law is 'contre le gaspillage' (against waste) and in favor of the circular economy. What the Agec law means
The law prohibits the packaging of fruit and vegetables or parts thereof, such as stems, leaves, and seeds, in plastic. Not only plastic trays and sealed bowls are prohibited, but plastic (adhesive) bands, which are used for bananas, for example, are also no longer allowed. In France, 37% of all fruit and vegetables were packaged, half of which in plastic. With the Agec law, the French government expects to avoid over a billion plastic packages a year. 30 products in sustainable packaging
In practice, the new law applies to about 30 products. These products must be sold either loose or in paper packaging from now on. This concerns the following vegetables: leek, courgette, aubergine, sweet pepper, cucumber, potatoes, carrots, round tomatoes, onions, turnips, cabbage, cauliflower, pumpkin, parsnip, radishes, Jerusalem artichokes, and root vegetables. The Agec law covers the following fruits: apples, pears, oranges, clementines, kiwis, mandarins, lemons, grapefruit, plums, melons, pineapples, mangoes, passion fruit, and persimmons. Postponements and exceptions
There are exceptions to this new rule. For the following products, there is a transitional period until 2023 or 2026. For the time being, these products can still be sold in plastic packaging:
Fragile fruit and vegetables (such as cherry tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, French beans, spring onions, grapes, peaches, nectarines and apricots, lettuce, and bean sprouts). Small fruit (such as cherries and cranberries)
Processed fruit (such as sliced fruit)
Soft fruit (such as blackberries)
Ripe fragile products
The law in comparison with the Netherlands
The Agec law goes further than the European rules, and the Netherlands does not yet have such a strict law. However, the Netherlands is working hard to reduce plastic packaging. For example, Dutch supermarkets have set themselves the target of using 10% less packaging material for fruit and vegetables this year compared to 2018. Supermarkets Albert Heijn and Lidl also no longer provide plastic storage bags, and Albert Heijn wants to get rid of all plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables by 2025. JASA's sustainable packaging
The new French law comes as a surprise to many and therefore brings extra challenges for various companies and entrepreneurs, including for Julien Ferte, director of Hexa-Pac. We spoke to Julien about the Agec law and what it means for his company. "At Hexa-Pac, we want to offer the best packaging solutions and machines. From the beginning to the end of the packaging line - we listen to the customer's needs and offer appropriate technical solutions. Now that the new law has been introduced, the customers' wishes and needs have changed, and new suitable packaging solutions have to be found. JASA can help with that." Product leader in the field of paper packaging
JASA Packaging Solutions is a market leader and product leader in paper packaging. "We can run all types of paper and sustainable packaging materials on our packaging lines. We made that choice because we at JASA feel it is important to contribute to the reduction of plastic and thus make a positive impact on the environment. As a result, we now have many years of experience with all kinds of paper solutions. With our innovative and environmentally friendly packaging, we have gained a unique place in the market. " All types of paper under one roof
What is unique about JASA is that the company can process all paper and cardboard types and packaging on our packaging machines. Think, for example, of vertically packed, fully coated, partially coated, with or without sealing, horizontally packed, sleeves and plano solutions. Julien: "It is not easy to switch from plastic to paper packaging. You don't just want the best packaging, but the best combination of product, packaging, and packaging material. JASA is a versatile, experienced, and reliable partner in paper packaging. We give independent advice and are happy to think along about the best (paper) solution for a specific product." Flexible packaging lines
The Agec law requires flexibility, both from companies and from packaging lines. Julien notes: "Some customers have invested heavily in a packaging machine, for example, to run packaging with film. Now that they suddenly have to turn paper material, we can look together at the best solution. That is why we at JASA have designed the Hybrid packaging machine. With it, JASA makes it possible to package in paper, quickly, flexibly, and with minimal changeover times." JASA's Hybrid
The revolutionary Hybrid packaging machine is a combination of the intermittent JASA350 packaging machine and the JASA Continu Machine. This combination ensures the right sealing pressure and includes an interchangeable sealing system in the packaging machine. The interchangeable sealing system offers the possibility to apply the most suitable seal profile for each packaging material. It is also possible to switch to a different packaging material within minutes. JASA's Hybrid
Sustainable packaging for a sustainable future
The new French law shows how the packaging industry can contribute to a sustainable world. With environmentally friendly and turn-key solutions, JASA can help you to also give your product a sustainable touch. Julien: "It is good and in everyone's interest that we in the packaging industry continue to improve, also in the area of sustainability. This brings with it the necessary challenges and risks, but that is also part of the trade." If you would like to know more about all the paper solutions offered by JASA, please visit the open days from 20 - 24 June. For more information:
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New law in France for sustainable packaging

Since Saturday, fruits and vegetables under 1.5 kg can no longer be sold in plastic packaging, according to the decree of October 8th 2021 taken in application of the Agec law. The announcement shook the professionals of the sector. The interprofession then denounced the haste and lack of consultation. “The law is not interested in the substitutes (effective and biosourced),” claimed its president Laurent Grandin. The professionals do have a delay of 6 months to sell their stocks of packaging, but some products could disappear from the shelves if no alternative is found. “Today, we have the delay but we still do not have the solution that will enable us to transport delicate fruits past this delay,” explains Daniel Sauvaitre, secretary-general of Interfel. Competition distortion
The problem? This ban on plastic is only valid for France. Several organizations and associations have filed appeals with the State Council, including Plastalliance, Interfel and the French Federation of the Fruit, Vegetable and Horticultural Cooperation, fearing a “distortion” of the competition on the European market. “What I would have liked is the absence of distortion in competition and for the law to be applied everywhere in Europe,” explains Jean-Luc Soury, director of the Limdor cooperative. No solution for certain products
This is the case for radishes or lamb’s lettuce for example, or humid products that cannot be packed in cardboard. “We need more time to find the right materials and more suitable technologies,” explains Régis Chevallier, radish producer. “There is no substitute today to pack radishes any other way. The product is just not going to meet consumer expectations, it will be all dry,” explains Jacques Rouchaussé, president of the French vegetable producers. The label issue
Another problem is the ban on adhesive labels for which Interfel is asking French authorities to postpone the application of the regulatory text, denouncing once again “a text which, as in the case of packaging, cannot be generalized to all products within the delay imposed. This regulation leads to distortions of competition between countries and food sectors. This law prohibits adhesive labels in France, but does not prohibit the marketing of products with adhesive labels outside of the French borders. French operators will no longer be able to identify and promote their products with these adhesive stickers that are used in the rest of the world.”
Investments and raw materials
While the price of cardboard continues to rise, producers/packers must also make significant investments to acquire new machines. Such costs are difficult to sustain for small structures. “Limdor has invested nearly 100,000 euros [112,919 USD] for a machine to pack fruits in cardboard trays of 4 to 6 fruits,” explains Jean-Luc Soury. “We had to do it, if we wanted to sell our apples. It is an additional cost for us and for our producers who have to buy this equipment.”
Same story for Pomanjou, as explained by its president James Launay. “For nearly 18 months, cardboard has been soaring, raw materials have been soaring. And we’re seeing a 60% increase on cardboard.” The company has had to invest more than 100,000 euros [112,919 USD] to adapt its production line and change to cardboard. “For some packaging, when the costs go up to 5 or 6 times the current prices, it is sometimes simply impossible to implement the device. For apples for example, in order to pack them in cardboard, depending on the stocks, the investment can reach up to 1 million euros [1.13 million USD]. Not all stations can afford that,” explains Laurent Grandin. Suspension granted just in time for the elastic around vegetable bundles
On December 10th 2021, during the French Vegetable Congress in Nantes, the minister of agriculture, Julien Denormandie, had announced a tolerance for the use of the elastic around bundles of radish, carrots and aromatic herbs. “We will make a thorough inventory of all the technical dead ends and hand it in to the minister of ecological transition,” as explained by Cyril Pogu, vice-president of Vegetables of France. Differentiating between organic and conventional products
Another source of concern within the sector: “How will we distinguish at checkout between organic and conventional products?” Most of the fruits and vegetables sold in plastic packaging in supermarkets are organic products. A lot of uncertainty still hangs over the sector that is struggling to meet the new regulatory requirements in a sustainable manner. Publication date:
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Packaging: Fruit and vegetable sector still at a dead end

With a commercial career path in various sectors and industries including horticulture, Séverine Didier, with her extensive experience and strong customer orientation, is now the sales agent at the head of Alcé, created in July 2020 and located in the Grand-Est region of France. “I went into the fruit and vegetable sector exactly when the discussions about the Agec law were starting, so I was interested right away in finding alternatives and reducing plastic packaging. I looked for companies I could accompany in their transition. I serve as an intermediary between the factories, which do not automatically have a sales power in France, and the marketers and packers.”
Supply difficulties and soaring prices
“The biggest challenge for the coming weeks will be to organize the sector in a short amount of time in order to meet the demand and adapt the production capacity. We will have to manage the flow of raw materials and the soaring costs. That is already the case for paper, and cardboard is going in the same direction. For the cellulose net, for example, we can already feel that, in terms of production capacity, France will be very greedy, and French manufacturers may not be powerful enough to meet the demand. We already see now that the delays are getting longer.”
Moreover, the factories that could invest to increase their production capacity must contend with the shortage of components and spare parts from machine manufacturers, a situation that has repercussions on the entire supply chain. Design innovations only
“I think there will certainly be innovations in terms of design in the coming months, but not when it comes to materials, which remain very classic in this respect: net, paper, cardboard, cellulose net. With the Agec law, we are very limited. The difficulty for manufacturers is to interpret the environmental code in order to develop materials that are authorized.”
This is a real headache for the sector, which is faced with dead ends, especially for the wet products. “We must find a material that is authorized, resists humidity, and does not have an impact on the shelf-life or taste quality of the product.”
Always in the famous triptych of paper, cardboard, and cellulose, new products are being developed. “One of the companies I represent and help establish on the French market has a range of paper cases and small kraft baskets that have already been used for the Muscat grapes. It is a complement to the cardboard tray but with a lower CO2 impact. For other clients, we will also offer cellulose nets that can be stapled and brand new molded cellulose trays.”
“A net for asparagus could be a feasible solution. There are also machines being developed for tray systems with nets and wooden trays for citrus fruit to replace the flowpack.”
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“We will have to manage the flow of raw materials and the soaring costs”

Acquired

Agec is an accounting firm located in Villeneuve, France. On July 2, 2020, Agec was acquired by Accior, terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

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