Bic : 22. Written questions

2022 BIC Annual General meeting Written Questions

18 May 2022

QUESTION #1 : Is BIC thinking about designing a new product that, like the lighter, could bring growth to BIC during a number of years?

ANSWER: The objective of the Horizon plan, launched in November 2020, is to develop growth drivers for the future, as lighters, writing instruments and shavers, have been and still are. The Horizon strategic plan calls for increasing investments in innovation and research and development, and the launch of many new products, which will support the Group's growth in the years ahead.

QUESTION #2 : BIC operates in 3 sectors : stationery, lighters, shavers, does BIC have a development plan in another promising sector to ensure future development ? If yes, is it possible to know more?

ANSWER: The Horizon strategic plan is focused on repositioning our existing activities in adjacent high-growth segments. This strategy will support the Group's growth by 2025. It also allows us to strengthen or develop new competencies within the Group, competencies that we will be able to capitalize on to accelerate growth, within or outside our existing activities. The role of your Board will be to ensure that this growth creates value for shareholders.

QUESTION #3: In its Convening Note, BIC mentions supply chain problems that have significantly slowed down sales, particularly in North America for the "Human Expression" segment and in France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. What are the solutions considered by BIC to avoid these stock shortages? Wouldn't increasing the number of factories in Europe, where there are only 9, and in North America, where there are only 2, be a solution, compared to the 13 factories in the growth markets? Wouldn't a better distribution of factories be possible to avoid product shortages?

ANSWER: The challenges in 2021 were essentially linked to the shortage of certain raw materials and the general disorganization of supply chains following the pandemic. The Group's industrial network is well balanced, and it meets today's supply needs of the different countries. Since its factories uses state-of-the-art technologies, BIC has always manufactured as close as possible to its local markets.

QUESTION #4: Bic recorded 58 work-related accidents involving Bic employees! What are the measures taken by the Board of Directors to reduce this number and better ensure the safety of BIC employees?

RESPONSE: The Board of Directors is very attentive to the health and safety of the Group's employees. The objective of the Writing The Future, Together program aims for zero accidents by 2025. All accidents in 2021 have been studied individually to understand their cause and take the necessary measures to ensure that they don't happen again. In addition to corrective measures specific to each situation, the decrease of work-related accidents requires raising awareness and training for all employees.

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QUESTION #5 : What are the medium- and long-term objectives of the acquisition of INKBOX INC INCORPORATED?

ANSWER: The acquisition of Inkbox is consistent with the Group's development in the Creative Expression segment. It positions BIC as one of the leaders in the Skin Creative industry, a sector that is growing by more than 10% per year. It completes the Group's brand portfolio and strengthens its e-commerce capabilities.

QUESTION #6 : You announce in the convening note a very strong competitive environment in North America, more precisely in the United States and Australia for the "BLADE EXCELLENCE" products. What solution does the Board of directors recommend to deal with this increasingly strong competition? Will the research and development department find new ways to keep BIC's leadership through innovation?

ANSWER: For the Blade Excellence division, the Group's ambition is, on the one hand, to maintain our leading positions in non-refillable shavers with innovative, environmentally friendly products that meet consumer expectations and on the other hand to capitalize on the excellence of our R&D and our industrial tools in order to develop a new B2B activity as a manufacturer of high precision blades for other brands. This highly profitable activity will gradually gain momentum and could reach between 25% and 30% of the division's revenues in the medium term.

QUESTION #7/ (in French only) QUEL EST LE MONTANT ANNUEL FACTURE PAR SGSS A NOTRE SOCIETE POUR LA GESTION DES TITRES DES ACTIONNAIRES AU NOMINATIF PUR ?

RESPONSE Cette forme de détention permet à l'actionnaire de bénéficier de la gratuité des droits de garde annuel, seuls les frais de courtage en cas de passage d'ordres sont à la charge de l'actionnaire.

Le coût de la prestation de SGSS pour la tenue du registre nominatif est supporté par l'émetteur, il dépend des éléments variables tels que le nombre d'actionnaires ou le nombre d'opérations réalisées au cours de l'année.

QUESTION #8 (in French only) APRES AVOIR CONSTATE QUE LA CASE "E-RELEVE" A ETE COCHEE DANS MON ESPACE SHARINBOX SANS QUE JE L'AIE DEMANDE, INTERROGE A CE SUJET, SGSS M'A REPONDU DANS SHARINBOX UNE DIZAINE DE JOURS APRES : "NOUS VOUS INFORMONS QUE CERTAINES SOCIETES EMETTRICES ONT DEMANDE A CE QUE LES E-RELEVES SOIENT ACTIVES POUR LEURS TITULAIRES DE COMPTE, CETTE DEMANDE D'ADHESION N'A PAS EFFECTUEE PAR NOS SERVICES." BIC CONFIRME-T-IL AVOIR DEMANDE QUE LES "E-RELEVE" DES ACTIONNAIRES NOMINATIFS SOIENT ACTIVES PAR DEFAUT ?

RESPONSE Les actionnaires au Nominatif Pur n'ont pas été abonnés d'office aux @ relevés. Ils peuvent donc toujours recevoir leurs documents au format papier.

Toutefois en raison de la pandémie de Covid 19, et des possibles difficultés d'acheminement de courrier liées à la crise sanitaire, Société générale a souhaité sécuriser la mise à disposition auprès des actionnaires des relevés de portefeuille arrêtés au 31/12 et des Imprimés fiscaux, en les publiant systématiquement en sus du courrier postal, sur le site web sharinbox réservé aux actionnaires ,même pour les actionnaires non abonnés aux @ relevés.

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