"We are seeing a non-spending tsunami in France," Chairman and Chief Executive Alexandre Bompard told Franceinfo radio. The government is eager to get food inflation - more than twice the overall French inflation rate of 5.1% in July - on a downward path, wary that such high levels could undermine fragile consumer confidence. 'SITUATION OF DEPRIVATION'"They see their margins increase while the French are in a situation of deprivation," Bompard told Franceinfo. On Tuesday, Le Maire vowed to step up pressure on retailers and producers to accelerate price cuts. "I am meeting retailers tomorrow and the producers the day after tomorrow ... with one objective: accelerate the fall of prices."

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Persons: Alexandre Bompard, Sarah Meyssonnier, Bompard, FinMin Le Maire, Bruno Le Maire, Henkel, Franceinfo, Le Maire, Dominique Vidalon, Geert de Clercq, Silvia Aloisi, David Goodman, Conor Humphries Organizations: Carrefour, Entrepreneurs de France, Paris, Paris Longchamp Racecourse, REUTERS, Wednesday PARIS, Finance, Retailers, Procter, Gamble, Unilever, G, Henkel, Thomson Locations: Paris Longchamp, Paris, France, Carrefour