At the Salon du Chocolat, chocolatier Maxime Henry expresses concerns over potential tax increases for chocolatiers that could force price hikes after years of maintaining steady costs. Recent rises in energy, sugar, and cocoa prices further complicate the situation. Proposed taxes on sugary foods could harm artisan chocolate producers, prompting some to consider reducing product sizes. Industry representatives warn that such measures risk pushing consumers towards lower-quality alternatives, despite efforts to reduce sugar content in artisanal products.
“It would be a heavy blow”: at the Chocolate Fair, standing behind his booth where small square ganaches are displayed, Maxime Henry expresses his concerns about the looming threat of increased taxation for chocolatiers.
“If taxes rise tomorrow, we’ll have no choice but to raise our prices. (…) But that would be tough, because we’ve been fighting to maintain our rates for the past five years,” says the chocolatier who took over the family business Maison Henry in 2019.
Over the last five years, the costs of energy, sugar, and more recently, cocoa have significantly risen.
Other artisans mention potential reductions in their profit margins or portion sizes.
Last week, lawmakers added an amendment in committee to the 2025 social security funding bill (PLFSS) that would impose a tax on processed food products based on their sugar content. Its fate before the final vote on the PLFSS remains uncertain.
In mid-October, the Montaigne Institute recommended in a report to standardize the VAT on various sugary products at 20% to finance efforts against food insecurity.
Dark chocolate, currently taxed at 5.5%, was targeted in this proposal.
Should these taxation proposals come to fruition, Sylvain Garcette, co-manager of the small business Ô Gourmandises d’Alice with four employees, present at the fair for the second consecutive year, mentioned he might “consider reducing the weight of [his] chocolate bar from 100 to 90 grams,” convinced that high costs could deter his customers from making purchases.
– Lower Quality –
The customers of Pralus, which operates 19 shops across France and generates €25 million in revenue, are “chocolate enthusiasts willing to pay a certain price,” analyzes Hugo Pralus, production manager of the family chocolaterie, “but there is a limit.”
The recent price increase of €1 for the 75% dark chocolate bar by Pralus, the first in a decade driven by sugar inflation, has not affected sales volume this year. However, a tax would again have “a direct impact on the final product price,” laments Hugo Pralus, who is not ruling out the possibility of lowering his profit margin — currently “around 15%” for a standard chocolate bar.
Artisanal chocolatiers account for 5% of the French chocolate market and employ 11,000 people, according to their confederation. Among them, 87% are businesses with fewer than 20 employees.
Daniel Mercier, president of the engaged chocolatiers’ association, condemned a tax he believes is counterproductive and “risks pushing consumers towards lower-quality products.” This comes despite artisans’ efforts in recent years to “reduce sugar and fat content” in their offerings, unlike industrial producers.
“If sugar needs to be reduced, it might be more appropriate for products where it shouldn’t be found at all. In canned vegetables, prepared meals like lasagna. [Chocolate] isn’t necessarily consumed daily,” added Thierry Lalet, president of chocolatiers and confectioners.