ASMETS, together with the Moroccan Federation of Cafés and Fast Food and the Moroccan Federation of Franchise, recently presented its vision for the promotion of the sector of social vouchers or service vouchers.
Indeed, the latter, little known or unknown in Morocco, nevertheless represent, everywhere else in the world, a sector that strongly creates economic and social wealth. The impact of social vouchers, carried by meal vouchers or tourism vouchers, is undeniable, particularly in terms of job creation, economic inclusion, growth in turnover and tax revenue for the ‘State.
In the presence of government representatives, issuers of service vouchers, international organizations, professional federations and the media, this unprecedented meeting was an opportunity, on the one hand, to raise awareness of the mechanisms of operation of social vouchers, their governance, their regulatory framework and their commercial logic, on the other hand, to study the modalities of implementation of these tools to revive the Moroccan economy, and more particularly the catering and tourism sector.
“Meal vouchers represent a leverage effect for the integration of the informal sector and the creation of direct jobs in the catering sector”, underlined Mehdi Laraki, Secretary General of ASMETS. Adding also that “Social vouchers have a strong macroeconomic impact for the company, for the employee as well as for the State which would gain in tax and social receipts linked to the use of meal vouchers, more than what it would lose in exemption cost”
Similarly, “The potential of 2.8 million beneficiaries of meal vouchers is enormous for the catering sector in Morocco. It would allow an effective revival of this sector very impacted by the health crisis. We are committed to joining the State and ASMETS in their efforts to promote and encourage the use of meal vouchers,” said Sghir Bougrine, President of the Moroccan Federation of Cafés and Fast Food.
The reflections revealed that:
For the country’s economy, the turnover generated by 1,000 regular beneficiaries of meal vouchers reaches 8.25 million dirhams per year.
The use of the basket bonus, offered to employees in cash, escapes any tax-traceable economic circuit.
Tax and social support for meal vouchers would cost the State 90 million dirhams in the first year (exemptions from income tax and CNSS due to the increase in catering rights) and would bring in 111 million dirhams for the same year. That is a net gain of 21 million dirhams in permanent annual growth.
On average, 100 beneficiaries generate 6.6 jobs.
In Morocco, the use of exempt meal vouchers worth 30 dirhams by companies remains low. It represents only 1% of the total volume of company meal bonuses estimated at 1.5 billion dirhams. The basket bonus represents 77% of the total volume of meal bonuses and the canteen 22%.
According to an OpinionWay survey carried out in 2016, the average amount necessary to benefit from a balanced meal was already estimated at 47.81 dirhams, it is now estimated at no less than 65.00 dirhams.
For an average of 4.5 nights per person, the turnover generated by national tourists is estimated at 3.55 billion dirhams. However, and despite an exemption measure in the 2021 Finance Law, tourism vouchers are still non-existent in Morocco.
For example, in Tunisia, a country similar to Morocco economically and socially, in the public and private sector, the use of meal vouchers has made it possible to considerably reduce the rate of absenteeism given that employees will not be able to not benefit from it if they are absent. In addition, the tax and social security receipts generated thanks to social securities in terms of VAT, IS and IR, represent double the tax advantage granted by the State.
At the end of this working day, recommendations were proposed to accelerate the deployment of meal vouchers and tourist vouchers in the Kingdom:
Close collaboration between the different ministries, in particular the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, in consultation with issuers of corporate securities and representatives of merchants, to formulate a proactive social policy that encourages the use of corporate securities.
The increase in the face value of meal vouchers in order to encourage companies to grant this benefit and replace the basket bonus with it, or maintain the face value of meal vouchers while allowing them to be combined with the bonus basket, which will become an element of salary.
The integration of the bonus basket in a digital portfolio solution as a salary contribution of up to 30 dirhams for an overall exempt amount of a minimum of 60 dirhams usable exclusively in restaurants, up to 50% at least and the rest in a wider power supply network.
The granting to corporate securities in digital form of an additional incentive of 40% to 50% of the exempt value compared to the paper format.
The acceleration of the release of the decree implementing the law concerning the tourism permit to allow several households to spend holidays at a lower cost and hoteliers to benefit from the manna of public and private companies.
Implementing these recommendations would allow the Kingdom to:
Create 6.6 jobs for every 100 new beneficiaries of meal vouchers.
Meal vouchers ensure traceability of tax benefits and contributions relating to the creation of new jobs in the catering sector (IS, IR, VAT and CNSS).
The meal voucher would create on average 7,000 to 9,000 jobs per year in the catering sector, i.e. a total of around 90,000 new jobs over the next 10 years.
Create a net gain for the State estimated at 981 million dirhams within 10 years.
Guarantee significant tax benefits to the State, through VAT and IS.
As a reminder, ASMETS is made up of the companies Sodexo, Edenred, Up Maroc and Hotelys. The association is chaired by Slim Ben Ammar, Managing Director of Sodexo Benefits and Rewards North Maghreb region. Its mission is to support the emergence of the Moroccan economy through a social and inclusive conception of Moroccan business.
Source :https://www.ecoactu.ma/lasmets-plaide-en-faveur-des-titres-sociaux/
