Laval (AFP)
The French distributor Pronuptia wedding dresses, which employs 234 people, was placed in liquidation by court decision of the Commercial Court of Laval, was learned Thursday from concordant sources.
"This year, we did not do any results and we could not honor the payment of the debt.The sanction is the liquidation", told AFP Philippe Macé, president of Pronuptia group.
The group is in business until December 4 and a receiver has been appointed to find buyers.
Pronuptia, which has 41 stores, was placed in receivership in 2012 and a continuation plan adopted in 2013. The payment of its debt had been spread over 10 years. He still has 9 million euros to repay, according to its president.
"Since the beginning of the year, we have lost more than 10% of our turnover," said Mr. Macé. "The number of marriages has never been so low and our three biggest months of the year (January, February and March) were marked by the movement of yellow vests."
In 2017, 228,000 marriages were celebrated in France, against nearly 298,000 in 2000, according to INSEE.
The accounts of the group have also been affected in recent years by the dollar and the competition of online sales.
Claiming the market leader, Pronuptia hopes to attract buyers, according to its president: "It's the goal, we all work for that".
The first Pronuptia boutique was opened in 1958 in Paris. The company was bought in 2008 by Philippe Macé.
© 2019 AFP