Several hundred shopping centers will have to close their doors on Sunday, January 31, at midnight. This is one of the measures announced by the Prime Minister on Friday. “As of this Sunday, non-food shopping centers with a surface area of over 20,000 square meters, that is to say those which most favor the mixing of populations, will be closed ”, declared Jean Castex, during this surprise press conference.
As of this Sunday, non-food shopping centers with a surface area of over 20,000 square meters, which most favor the mixing of populations, will be closed. pic.twitter.com/Laxt0VGK4a
— Jean Castex (@JeanCASTEX) January 29, 2021
This is a real blow for many stores that bet on the winter sales, whose kick-off had been postponed to January 20, to restore health. According to the National Council of Shopping Centers (CNCC), the shopping center attendance index between January and December 2020 is down 28.1%.
Almost half of the shopping centers concerned
France has 838 shopping centers, indicates the CNCC. According to these data, 396 of them, or nearly half, would be affected by the closure.
“Of the 835 shopping centers in France, half have a surface area of over 20,000 m². None has been recognized as having constituted a ‘cluster’ since the start of the health crisis ”, reacted the CNCC.
He says wait “Precise responses from the government during a teleconference” Saturday, with Economy Ministers Bruno Le Maire and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) Alain Griset, criticizing a decision “Very imprecise as to its scope of application”.
In Paris, the BHV-Marais and Galeries Lafayette / Haussmann are affected by the measures announced since these stores exceed 20,000 m2, according to the management of Galeries Lafayette.
Hypermarkets and supermarkets remain open
Concretely, from Sunday, in the big shopping centers, will only be able to remain open the supermarkets and hypermarkets as well as the food stores present in the shopping malls.
It is “More positive news than the general closure of non-food businesses, which had been envisaged”, reacted Jacques Creyssel, general delegate of the Federation of commerce and distribution. “Some 50,000 stores will have to close. Among them, small businesses ”.
“This helps ensure that all other businesses in France remain open. This also makes it possible not to start again on this debate between essential and non-essential businesses, which was our priority ”, he added.
Government announcements will ” in the right direction “ and are “Responsible”, added Francis Palombi, president of the Confederation of French traders (which represents the independents).
Emmanuel Le Roch, general delegate of the federation of specialized trade Procos, which represents some 60,000 stores in all sectors except large food distribution, speaks of a « injustice ». “We are going to have shops, the same businesses and even the same brands which will be closed in these centers and which will be able to open in the city center or in commercial areas. », He regretted.
Spared small town center shops
Hairdressers, jewelry stores, bookstores, florists … Contrary to the measures of last March, the government has decided to save money small so-called non-essential downtown businesses. These can remain open outside of the hours of curfew. More “ from Monday, the gauges will be reinforced in supermarkets. Whatever the cost will apply ”, added Jean Castex.
Regarding the evolution of the gauges, for which the Prime Minister did not give details, “What had been envisaged” during discussions with the government, “It was to go from a client for 8 m2 to a client for 10 m2, that’s what we had worked on together”, Mr. Creyssel said.
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