The French automobile market plunged again in May, by 50.34%, under the effect of containment measures, however the fall slowed down compared to the previous months, according to data published Monday by the manufacturers. In April, registrations had indeed collapsed by 88.8%, after -72% in March according to data published at the time.
Decline in registrations
Like their foreign competitors, French groups suffered further in May. PSA (Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel) recorded a 56.07% drop in new passenger car registrations, as did the Renault group (Renault, Dacia, Alpine) with 50.39% fewer registrations, after figures from the Committee of French Automobile Manufacturers (CCFA).
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The automobile trade, put at a standstill during the confinement between March 17 and May 11, collapsed, causing a drop in car registrations by 72% in March then by 88.8% in April. But in May, the first signs of recovery appeared.
Resumption at the end of the month
"There was a clear recovery at the end of the month, that is to say that the entire distribution and delivery system as well as the orders were released," commented François Roudier, spokesperson for the Builders' Committee. French Automobile (CCFA), contacted by telephone by AFP. "The figure at the beginning of the month was very low, very close to last month, then gradually with the reopening of car dealerships, deliveries, distributions but also orders are distributed while they were negative last month", a- he added.
The outlook remains "very vague for the first time in years," said the CCFA spokesperson. For the year 2020, the sector forecasts "are between -20% and -30% but they are to be taken very cautiously because we really lack a lot of information" especially on the recovery, said Mr. Roudier.
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The impact of this extraordinary situation is already present. Hit by the brunt, the Renault group announced a savings plan of more than 2 billion euros over three years, which provides for 4,600 job cuts out of 48,000 in France, and more than 10,000 outside France.