Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on June 9 he had secured a pledge from 75 food companies to cut prices. French shoppers have paid more than 20% more for Nestle products each month since January versus last year, the data showed, and price increases peaked at 36.6% in May. Nestle, whose brands include Maggi stock cubes and Kit Kat chocolate bars, declined to comment. Similarly, stores sold products made by Activia yogurt owner Danone for between 11.2% and 16.7% more than last year in the first six months of the year. The NielsenIQ data shows the final prices retailers charge shoppers, and does not necessarily only reflect the prices food companies ask for from stores.

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Persons: Arnd, Bruno Le Maire, Bernstein, Kat, Le Maire's, Jack Martin, Janus Henderson, Gaurav Gooptu, Richa Naidu, Sybille de La, Matt Scuffham, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Swiss, Nestle, REUTERS, Danone, Finance, Reuters, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Oberon Investments, U.S, Consumers, BNP, Thomson Locations: Bern, Konolfingen, Switzerland, France