Paris (AFP)

The distributor Auchan will pay a bonus of 1,000 euros to 65,000 French employees "to salute their exceptional commitment to the health crisis" of the coronavirus, the group announced in a statement on Sunday.

"All employees of stores, warehouses, drives, home delivery services and e-commerce site" will be paid this lump sum, said the company, adding that it would be remitted "as suggested by Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire, (...) as part of the company's profit-sharing agreement ".

The "unfailing commitment" of employees "has kept all stores, drives and delivery services open," welcomed the group.

To ensure the safety and health of teams and customers, "protective measures are already in place in all of our stores," said Edgard Bonte, president of Auchan Retail, quoted in the text. .

He listed the respect for barrier gestures, the protection of the crates with Plexiglas, the provision of hydroalcoholic gel, masks and gloves as well as the organization of store hours.

Mr. Le Maire had called Friday companies to pay a tax-free bonus to their employees, especially those who "had the courage to go to their workplace" in the context of the epidemic of new coronavirus.

This bonus possibility, created following the crisis of "yellow vests" in the winter of 2018-2019, was renewed in 2020 but only for companies that have concluded a profit-sharing agreement with their employees. Signing this type of agreement has been simplified to encourage SMEs.

The Minister recalled that companies had until June 30 to pay this tax-free premium up to 1,000 euros and on which do not weigh social charges.

His colleague from Bercy, the Minister of Action and Public Accounts Gérald Darmanin, "welcomed" the announcement of Auchan on Sunday.

"The Auchan group must know, like all companies in France, major difficulties, obviously, and they have chosen to consider that the wealth of their company was their employees," said Mr. Darmanin on the air. "Great meeting" of Europe 1.

"All the companies that can do it are obviously invited to do it," he added.

Auchan's holding company published in early March a net loss of 1.286 billion euros for 2019, aggravated by 12.3% compared to the previous year, in particular due to disposals. Excluding these exceptional items, net profit would have reached 432 million euros.

© 2020 AFP