For all of the nation is going through political and financial turmoil, France stays probably the most vital multichannel retail markets in Europe

France’s ecommerce sector, value €175.3bn in 2024, is prospering. With inflation slowing and client confidence exhibiting tentative indicators of restoration, 64% of French retailers count on their gross sales to extend over the course of 2025. Ecommerce now accounts for 11% of all retail gross sales.

But for all France’s financial system has been remarkably buoyant, there are causes for retailers to be involved about what might lie forward. France has a persistent funds deficit and its public debt in 2024 represented 113% of GDP. In 2027, there shall be a presidential election and the centrist incumbent, Emmanuel Macron, can’t stand for a 3rd successive time period. France, so lengthy a bastion of social democracy on the centre of the broader European challenge, faces the very actual prospect of both Marine Le Pen or Jordan Bardella of the far-right Nationwide Rally main the nation.

On this report, we contemplate each the underlying strengths of the French financial system and assess its challenges. Drawing on unique RetailX analysis, we glance intimately at its customers’ preferences in such areas as the luxurious market and sustainability, and profile a few of France’s most revolutionary retailers, together with Carrefour, Galeries Lafayette and Louis Vuitton.

Key takeaways

• Because the Worldwide Financial Fund has reported, France has demonstrated resilience. Its labour market stays comparatively robust and its customers are comparatively assured.

• On-line retail is rising. Its €175.3bn worth in 2024 was a report and represented a rise of round 10% year-on-year.

• France’s inhabitants is extremely urbanised, which simplifies organising the logistics that underpin on-line retail. Urbanisation additionally offers retailers the chance to be revolutionary of their supply choices.

• Marketplaces have enormous attain in France, with 35% of those that purchase on-line purchasing with market as soon as a month. The equal figures for retailers and types are, respectively, 26% and 13%.

• French luxurious manufacturers are globally recognised. Domestically, French customers worth the luxurious sector as a result of it gives a mix of high quality, long-term worth and excessive resale costs for classic gadgets, customer support and a robust deal with sustainability.

Key statistics

• France’s inflation in 2025 has been at round 1.3%, under the European Central Financial institution’s 2% goal for the eurozone.

• 62% of customers store on-line greater than as soon as a month, probably on a market.

• Garments and equipment are the gadgets probably to be purchased on-line. In accordance with ConsumerX analysis, greater than 60% of French customers who store on-line mentioned they’d purchased gadgets in these classes within the earlier 12 months.

• 52.2% of French web shoppers are usually not ready to pay additional to return undesirable merchandise.

• 75.5% of French web shoppers assume that retailers ought to do extra to minimise packaging waste.

• In ConsumerX surveys performed over 2024 and 2025, 56.8% of French customers deliberate to take care of their present ranges of spending on luxurious items, however 34.4% deliberate to spend much less.

• Two in 5 French customers would contemplate avoiding purchasing once more with a retailer that despatched an merchandise in outsized packaging. 


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