Luncheon vouchers will soon be available for use throughout the week, including Sundays, and for supermarket food shopping. This is one of the key measures in the reform presented by Véronique Louwagie, Minister of Trade and SMEs, on June 25. This transformation of the system will be examined by Parliament with a view to implementation on January 1, 2027.
The government wants to adapt luncheon vouchers to new practices, such as the widespread use of telecommuting, home-cooked meals and differentiated consumption needs. As a result, employees will be able to buy some of the ingredients they need to prepare their meals, even on Sundays. However, vouchers will remain unusable on public holidays, to maintain their link with the professional world.
Another new feature is that their use will be extended to the whole of France, and no longer restricted to departments close to the workplace. The daily limit of 25 euros remains unchanged.
The temporary scheme authorizing the use of meal vouchers for supermarket food shopping (excluding alcohol, confectionery, baby products and pet food) will be extended. This measure, much appreciated by employees, has been in force since 2022 and is extended each year. Restaurateurs, on the other hand, remain opposed to this extension, seeing it as a loss of sales, estimated at over a billion euros over two years according toUmih.
The reform provides for full dematerialization of tickets from February 28, 2027. From this date, paper tickets will no longer be usable. Today, almost 75% of purchases are already made using a card. The aim of this modernization is to simplify procedures for retailers, reduce the fees charged by issuers, and enable payment to the nearest cent for employees.
Last but not least, the validity of the vouchers can no longer be extended beyond one year. This provision, according to the Minister, is intended to encourage employees to use them more regularly, and to avoid the accumulation of unspent credits.
This reform, which has been under discussion for the past two years, is intended to modernize a system that is an integral part of the daily lives of over five million employees. Its legislative form has not yet been determined, but the government hopes to debate it before the end of 2026.
