After a good start on June 28, the summer sales were disrupted by the riots following the death of Nahel, but nevertheless show “good results” halfway through, said Wednesday the cabinet of the minister delegate to the Business Olivia Gregory. Based on figures provided by the Alliance du Commerce, the minister’s office said that the turnover of the companies surveyed was up 5% over the first twelve days compared to the previous year.
This data feedback only concerns members of the Alliance du Commerce, which brings together major department stores of clothing and footwear, and represents 27,000 stores. “Many businesses that had been [affected] by the riots were able to reopen quickly and take advantage of the enthusiasm of these first two weeks,” rejoiced Olivia Grégoire, in a message sent to AFP. The minister said she had “a very strong thought” for those who “will not be able to reopen for a little while”.
During the riots linked to the death of young Nahel, killed by a policeman during a road check in Nanterre, many businesses all over France had been ransacked, looted and burned. “A little over 1000 businesses were directly affected by the riots”, had quantified the Minister Delegate for Trade in early July. The government then announced the extension until August 1 of the summer sales and the exceptional opening of stores on Sunday July 9 to allow traders to “catch up” for lost turnover. “The first assessment [of the balances] is positive”, abounded with AFP Yohann Petiot, director general of the Alliance du Commerce. “In an inflationary context, there is strong customer interest in sales,” he analyzed. “The impact of the riots is very low or even nil” on sales, according to Olivia Grégoire’s office.