If you still have 2022 meal vouchers in paper format in your bag, it's high time to exchange them! Indeed, you only have until Wednesday, March 15 to carry out this operation with your employer, says the website of the Public Service. The latter will be able to give you free 2023 titles, usable until February 2024. The 2022 securities can then be redeemed to the company or exchanged with the issuer until March 31.

Be careful, the use of a digital card does not protect the employee. Depending on the issuer of the restaurant vouchers (Edenred, Sodexo, Updéjeuner and Bimpli resto), the transfer of the balance from 2022 to 2023 may or may not be automatic. An application to the provider may be required. It is also necessary to be vigilant because some organizations ask to validate the transfer by email.

Paper format increasingly rejected

Another parameter to take into account: the validation of meal vouchers in paper format is 14 months. Even if dematerialized cards are valid for several years, this is not the case for securities deposited on them. It is therefore necessary to check that they will not be lost by March 15.



According to state figures, five million employees benefit from meal vouchers each year, but about 10% are not used. More and more traders refuse to take them into account, especially when they are in paper format. "Since March 1st, professionals must process meal vouchers themselves and send them directly to one of the four issuing bodies to be reimbursed. This overload of work encourages some merchants to refuse this method of payment from now on, "says the website of the Public Service.

Extensive use

On the other hand, traders would be reluctant because a commission of 5% is levied on each title, reminds Presse Océan Olivier Dardé, president of Umih 44 (Union of trades and industries of the hospitality). Tickets being used mainly at lunchtime, on more affordable menus, the margin recovered by restaurateurs would be too low.

The use of restaurant vouchers was extended last year. A decree published in the Official Journal of 30 September 2022 increases the maximum amount to be spent to €25 per working day. The latter can be used to buy "any type of food products, even if they are not directly consumable without cooking", and this until December 31.

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