Paris (AFP)
The reconfinement threatens the toy sector, which risks being deprived of 770 million euros in sales if the stores cannot reopen before the end of the year holidays, estimates a study by the NPD Group published on Monday.
"While the toy had finally recovered from the losses linked to the first confinement and ended in the green at the end of October (+ 0.4%), the reconfinement once again upsets a fragile balance", underlines a press release from NPD Group.
Between November and December the toy sector achieves 48% of its annual sales, according to the cabinet.
These sales linked to the end of the year celebrations represent 1.7 billion euros.
If the specialized stores and the toy departments of supermarkets remain closed during this period, the sector will suffer "a shortfall of 770 million euros".
“Two thirds of Christmas sales come from hypermarkets / supermarkets and specialist stores, explains Frédérique Tutt, an expert in the toy sector within the NPD Group, cited in the press release.” Certainly the + Click and Collect + and online sales remain an option, but it will not be enough to meet the demand ".
Because this type of sale requires "more time and staff" to businesses and "carriers will be overloaded", she told AFP.
"The time is serious for the toy sector and the repercussions of this crisis should have a national impact, affecting more particularly local players and small French manufacturers", concludes the cabinet.
The government has imposed the closure of "non-essential" businesses, including toy distributors, as part of the containment aimed at combating the spread of the coronavirus epidemic.
He then forced large stores to close their "non-essential" shelves in the name of "fairness".
Faced with this situation, traders from all sectors have stepped up to the plate.
They demand the reopening of all businesses from November 13.
© 2020 AFP