INTERVIEW
Will the coronavirus crisis and the establishment of containment change the consumption habits of the French in the long term? After two months of strict travel restrictions, the world of mass distribution has found its customers since Monday in greater numbers, and is studying how to adapt to the new situation. Guest of Europe 1 Tuesday, Dominique Schelcher, CEO of Système U, explains in particular that his group will adapt its offer to offer more products in large volumes.
>> LIVE - Coronavirus: follow the evolution of the situation Tuesday May 12
Concretely, for System U, deconfinement does not really imply changes, "since from the first day of confinement, we were organized with barrier gestures, with the protection of employees, social distancing", assures Dominique Schelcher. Thus, he adds, the deconfinement "is the logical continuation of what we experienced for two months". And if, of course, the CEO notes since Monday an attendance "fairly sustained" in the group's banners, he warns that it is "too early to draw general conclusions".
"People used to store more"
On the other hand, Dominique Schelcher anticipates that customers will be able to maintain a certain number of their new consumption behaviors adopted during confinement. For eight weeks, "people used to store more" and favored buying in large quantities, such as for pasta, flour, toilet paper, but also some fresh products such as grated gruyère. "This is probably a trend that will continue for some time," he said.
CORONAVIRUS ESSENTIALS
> Gatherings, trips, sport: what remains prohibited despite the deconfinement
> Deconfinement: what you need to know about returning to work
> Partial unemployment: the parents' situation clarified
> The French will have to go on vacation near their home
> Deconfinement: what hygiene for self-service bikes, scooters and scooters?
This is why System U should offer "at least for a time, more big conditioners" in its stores. And strengthen, for example, its proposals on its regular "high volume" commercial operations, with "larger large volumes and perhaps even products that will be sold regularly in large volume on the shelves".
Finally, according to Dominique Schelcher, another habit should continue: the success of e-commerce and drive ".