Closed for two months, small businesses are suffering the brunt of the coronavirus crisis. Everywhere in France, they were able to reopen on Monday, but fear that the sales period will come too quickly, which would force them to sell promotional products that have barely been received. "In view of the unprecedented circumstances, I asked yesterday (Monday, Editor's note) to the Ministers of Economy and Labor that we are very quickly given a date for the postponement of the sales," explains Francis Palombi, president of the Confederation of traders from France, at the microphone of Europe 1, Tuesday.
>> LIVE - Coronavirus: follow the situation Tuesday, May 12
Sale date announced end of May
"We are asking for a postponement of the sales at the end of July," he said. A date on which all traders do not agree. "We are not only independents, there are also big box stores, big shops. In principle, they are rather not to postpone the sales too much ...", underlines Francis Palombi.
CORONAVIRUS ESSENTIALS
> Gatherings, trips, sport: what remains prohibited despite the deconfinement
> Deconfinement: what you need to know about returning to work
> Partial unemployment: the parents' situation clarified
> The French will have to go on vacation near their home
> Deconfinement: what hygiene for self-service bikes, scooters and scooters?
The date of the summer sales should be announced by Bruno Le Maire at the end of May. "It seems a bit distant for independent traders to prepare ...", regrets Francis Palombi. Another point on which he hopes to be heard as soon as possible: his request to the Minister of the Economy for a "symbolic freeze" of major promotions offered outside sales by major retailers, so as not to, he says, "weaken even more very small businesses and small traders. "