France to offer emergency food aid to 9M poor families

By Shweta Desai

PARIS (AA) - Around 9 million low-income families will receive an emergency food aid of €100 per family, the French government announced on Wednesday.

Government spokeswoman Olivia Gregoire confirmed the food aid of €100 per household and €50 per child will be deposited in the bank accounts of the poorest family from this September. The aid will cost the government coffers over €1 billion.

It is unclear if the emergency aid will be a one-time payment or a monthly benefit. It is likely to provide temporary relief to fight against surging food prices in the backdrop of the Ukraine war.

The emergency food aid is different from the food voucher initiative announced by President Emmanuel Macron during the reelection campaign.

Gregoire said the government was still working on the complexities of the “food voucher” initiative to enable the French people to buy organic and local products.