These tests may be available in supermarkets, “exceptional and until January 31,” says an order published at the “Official Journal” Tuesday. A decision greeted by the large distribution that promises to sell them at cost.
Le Monde
It was a strong demand for large distribution in the heart of a fifth wave of Covid-19 in France. The Government authorized “exceptional and until January 31, 2022” the sale of SAR-COV-2 antigenic detection autototes outside pharmacies, according to an order published in the Official Journal , Tuesday, December 28th.
Considering the societal interest in the use of autototes “in the context of a very strong increase in the incidence rate, due to the spread of Delta and Omicron variants, and a request for examinations and Unprecedented screening tests Since the beginning of the health crisis, supply and sales circuits of self-checks should be diversified “, exposes the judgment. However, the information has not been part of the Government advertisements concerning the fight against CVIV-19 of Monday.
The boss of the Grand Distribution Stores E.Leclerc, Michel-Edouard Leclerc, immediately hailed a “just and useful decision”, promising teams “at the height of the stakes” and especially autototes “at cost”.
Sale #AUTOTEST COVID in large surface: @JeanCASTEX made a fair and useful decision. Our teams will be … https://t.co/0print //p>- Leclerc_mel (@ Michel-Edouard Leclerc)
Autototes “to less than 2 euros”
The opening of the retail sale of the autototes was particularly expected in recent days, while pharmacies crumbled under the hundreds of daily antigenic tests to perform on the eve of the end-of-year holidays.
“We ask to sell autototes first because customers have claimed it to us,” said Dominique Schelcher, President and CEO of System U, on RTL Tuesday morning . “Recently, it was sometimes difficult to access this product only in pharmacies, he added. In addition, we could offer it at cost price, less than 2 euros.” So far, a ceiling price of 5.20 euros is applied in French offlicines.
One way for Mr. Schelcher to respond to the nascent criticism of enrichment of large distribution on the back of the pandemic. “We were told the same when we started selling masks and hydroalcoolic gels; today, it seems normal to everyone. It’s a goal of service we want to make, and we are claims. “