After two weeks of strike, a "catastrophic" situation for traders

With less than a week left before Christmas, the turnover of merchants is shrinking. As the strike movement against the pension reform has entered its second week, the consequences are being felt hard on the Parisian economy. Food shops, hotels, shops ... Everyone struggles to find customers, usually numerous at this time of the year.

"We lost 40% of turnover," laments Jérémy, director of three restaurants located in the 8th district of Paris, interviewed by France 24. "We have fewer customers. They eat on the go because they are stressed because of transportation issues. It's a pain! "

A statement that Jérémy is not the only one to do so. In Île-de-France and Paris, most traders are experiencing economic difficulties. Francis Palombi, president of the Confederation of French traders, notes, for the month of December, 30% loss of turnover on average for small businesses and 45% drop in the hotel and catering sector .

Cascade cancellations in hotels due to strikes

The same goes for the Union of Hotel Trades and Industries (UMIH), the leading employers' union in the sector. Franck Delvau, his co-president, points out "cascading cancellations" and reservations that are long overdue in hotels. "The occupancy rate of the rooms has dropped by 30 to 40% compared to last year, it was 13%, because of the yellow vests. It is catastrophic," he worries.

The tourists do not hesitate to cancel their trip. "Those who come from far away will not be able to delay their trip while European and French tourists can postpone their departure more easily", specifies Franck Delvau, who deplores a "flight of affluent customers".

>> Read also: Strikes against pension reform: concern in the tourism sector

Another sector in the red, catering. According to Franck Delvau, restaurants experience a drop of 40 to 70% in their turnover, especially in the evening. "Once people return home in the evening, they don't want to go out," he said, noting also "a lack of restaurant attendance due to canceled seminars and conventions."

Difficulties that are felt up to the Rungis market, which supplies food shops in the Paris region. "Customers would like to buy more, but catering suffers because Ile-de-France residents find it difficult to get to work and go out less in the evening and on weekends," explains the communications department of one of the largest markets in the world, which says however, "have no known supply issues".

"It is during this period that the year is played"

Perfumers, jewelers and toy stores are also in a weak position. "For them, it is at this period that the year is played out. They can make more than 40% of their figure in December," says William Koeberlé, president of the Council of Commerce of France.

In all these sectors, the situation has, according to Francis Palombi, worsened since the movement of yellow vests, because traders have failed to recover. "This strike comes after a year of yellow vests, but there are still companies that have not been reimbursed for their damage." William Koeberlé goes further. "The Yellow Vests demonstrations only took place on Saturdays so we could catch up on weekdays. Today, this is no longer the case because the strike takes place all week. The shortfall is always there . "

If in Paris and Île-de-France, the strike is hard felt, this is not always the case in the regions. "In Lille, Strasbourg or Nantes, the stores only had to close during the demonstrations. It is much less dramatic," said William Koeberlé.

State-aided traders

At the request of the federations, the government announced on Wednesday 11 December that traders could benefit from an adapted device, like that deployed during the yellow vests crisis. It is a question of setting up "fiscal and social spreading measures", making it possible to put the employees in "partial unemployment" but also to authorize the opening on Sunday, in Île-de-France. An outstretched hand appreciated by the various federations, which still continue to put pressure on the government.

Dear @BrunoRetailleau, you are asking the Government for measures for companies whose activity suffers from strikes. Fortunately, with @BrunoLeMaire, we did not wait for you: the fiscal and social staggering measures were reactivated a week ago ... https://t.co/EOqRuJJBPV pic.twitter.com/Gk3wGYNhYx

On the other hand, Anne Hidalgo called on the government to react Tuesday, December 17. "We need compensation, very clearly, hammered the mayor of Paris, during a press conference. There is of course everything concerning short-time working to be able to allow these traders, these companies to pass the course , to pass this period of strike and conflicts. And then perhaps exceptional compensation. "

Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Secretary of State to the Minister of the Economy and Finance, should also quickly meet with the merchant federations. According to Franck Delvau, it will be a question of discussing the "implementation" of the measures announced on December 11. "Traders are not hackers, we need easy-to-understand and understandable measures."

Continuation of the strike or not, the year 2020 promises to be complicated for traders, especially with the arrival of sales. For William Koeberlé, "the stores will have a lot of stock to sell. So if they sell, it will be with less margin."

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