In another case of a politician not knowing the price of an everyday item, French presidential candidate Jean-Francois Cope has said he has “no idea” how much a pain au chocolat costs.
When asked during a radio interview with Europe 1 on Monday if he knew the price of the famous French pastry, the lawmaker guessed they would be between 10 and 15 euro cents ($0.11-$0.16).
“I have no clue, I have no idea … maybe 10-15 cents?” Cope said during the interview.
The chocolate treat actually sells for over $1.
Many users took to social media to mock the candidate for his answer with the hashtag #PainAuChocolat.
“Brexit strikes again — my English #PainAuChocolat (is) already 10-15 times more expensive than France. Disgrace,” James Funnell tweeted.
Another wrote: “Wow, with just 2 euros I could throw a huge #PainAuChocolat themed party!”
One tweeter said she had been ripped off during breakfast. “I was cheated at breakfast – it cost more than 10c!” Elizabeth Gray tweeted.
After the interview Cope addressed the blunder on Twitter and said he didn’t know the price of the pastries because he’s been watching his weight.
“To be honest I stopped eating the “chocolatines” a long time ago,” he added.
Not the first price gaffe
It’s not the first time a politician has mistaken the price of an everyday food item.
In 1992, former US President George H.W. Bush admitted he didn’t know how much a gallon of milk cost during a debate with Bill Clinton and Ross Perot.
And in 2013, during an interview with LBC radio, former British Prime Minister David Cameron struggled to guess how much a loaf of bread cost.