20 businesses vandalized on Saturday compared to 2,488 on October 17: CCI France notes a clear drop in damage on the sidelines of the demonstrations, but is concerned about a sharp drop in store turnover of up to 80%

The number of damage to businesses on the sidelines of Saturday's demonstrations in France was significantly lower than during previous weekends, with 20 establishments affected according to CCI France, which recalls that brands are also experiencing a drop in their turnover. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry counted 2,488 businesses affected on October 17 and 50 on October 24, according to a previous report.

In a statement to AFP on Sunday, CCI France is particularly concerned about the impact of the demonstrations on the attractiveness of France and the activity of businesses in the run-up to the end-of-year holidays, which represent a peak in activity for local businesses. The drop in turnover of businesses located near the demonstrations is now estimated at between -60% and -80% compared to the turnover of a normal Saturday. Earlier in the week, the CCI had mentioned an 80% drop in turnover.

The CCI also estimates that there were 20% fewer reservations in the hotel industry over the week. The deterioration comes as the sector has suffered successive crises since 2018: the yellow vest demonstrations, the Covid-19 health crisis, the war in Ukraine, the riots which followed the death of Nahel Merzouk in 2023 and even declining purchasing power. Help 10.

000 euros for victims To support affected traders, several measures have been announced by the public authorities. For affected companies which have less than 10 million annual turnover and have less than 50 employees, direct aid could go up to 10,000 euros, Minister of Commerce Serge Papin announced in recent days.

Emergency funds were also released by local authorities in the most affected areas, reaching 13 million euros in Paris and the Paris region, 12 million for Marseille and its metropolis and 25 million euros for Lyon and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Furthermore, a zero-interest loan set up by Bpifrance allows the traders concerned to finance themselves up to 50,000 euros, in particular in order to buy back goods for those who had already stocked up for Christmas.

Machine-translated from French