Invited from Europe Soir, the Minister of SMEs assured that the government would pay particular attention to the unfolding of Black Friday this year, while traders and elected officials are calling for its ban, in solidarity with the closed stores.
INTERVIEW
For several days the grumbling of traders has been mounting against Amazon, and in particular as Black Friday approaches.
The Federation of traders but also several deputies demanded the ban of this vast operation of online promotions, scheduled for November 27, while stores closed due to the health context and restrictive measures still do not know whether they will be able to reopen the December 1, for the crucial Christmas shopping season.
On BFMTV Monday, Bruno Le Maire, the Minister of the Economy, told them that he did not have the means to ban "a promotional operation of a private nature".
However, the government should monitor this commercial event very closely, to ensure that the instructions in terms of health protection are respected by the American giant of online sales.
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"We will be extremely vigilant on the way in which this operation will be carried out", warned Tuesday, at the microphone of Europe Soir, Alain Griset, the Minister Delegate in charge of Small and medium-sized enterprises.
"In April, the government took measures leading to the closure of Amazon because there was a non-compliance with practices in relation to employees," he said.
If the government is not in a position to force Amazon to give up its Blackfriday, it is nevertheless seeking to limit the impact, in solidarity with small traders.
"We asked that the company does not communicate as usual before this period," recalls Alain Griset.
It remains to be seen whether Amazon, which represents 20% of e-commerce in France, with a turnover of 4.5 billion in 2018, will comply with it with good grace.