French retailers have criticised consumer goods giants like Unilever and Nestle for price hikes they say are unjustified. The government has also put pressure on the consumer goods makers to cut prices. "We should probably be able to demand that the big (consumer goods) groups cut prices by between 2% and 5%," he said. Consumer goods firms are likely to face increased pressure across Europe to cut prices, industry experts say. Lawmakers also asked about buying alliances, which some supermarkets use to negotiate prices jointly with peers at the European level, and whether they enable retailers to evade French regulations on pricing.

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Persons: Sarah Meyssonnier, Les Mousquetaires, Thierry Cotillard, Cotillard, Mousquetaires, Jan, Alexandre Bompard, Lawmakers, Systeme, Dominique Schelcher, E Leclerc, Philippe Michaud, Miloud, Leclerc, Michaud, Helen Reid, Hugh Lawson Organizations: REUTERS, Unilever, Nestle, Carrefour, Senate, REWE, Thomson Locations: Carrefour, Montesson, Paris, France, Portugal, Spain, Europe, Greece, London