France has been a pioneer in sustainability legislation and, ConsumerX research suggests that, shoppers across the country are increasingly taking sustainability into account when making purchase decisions.
The RetailX France 360° report stresses it is a truism that, when money is tight, sustainability measures come under close scrutiny. Much of this attention is politically loaded, with the populist right, in particular, keen to portray a concern for the environment as a cost on already stretched consumers. The main objection to this framing, that not pursuing sustainability measures costs more in the long term, can be a difficult message to get across when consumers are struggling to make ends meet.
Nevertheless, look beyond political volatility and there is a sense that, inexorably, sustainability has been advancing up political and corporate agendas. In this context, it was fascinating to see France’s lower house of parliament pass what has been dubbed a ‘kill bill’ aimed at fast fashion earlier this year. The measure seeks to ban advertising by certain fast-fashion retailers and imposes rising financial penalties on these companies on a per-item-of-clothing basis. Philosophically, the bill aims to highlight the hidden costs of ‘cheap’ fashion, paid by the environment and by factory workers employed on low wages.
According to ConsumerX research, French consumers are aware of why their representatives are pursuing such initiatives. 72% of respondents, for example, say they want retailers to be ecologically sustainable, against just 4% who don’t.
As to how these attitudes translate into behaviour, there appears at first glance to be a gap between an awareness of the issues and action. 59% of respondents say they never rent rather than purchase. 58% never re-sell items with which they have finished. 55% never return items for recycling.
But it is worth noting these are changes in behaviour that can be inconvenient and where, arguably, retailers still have plenty of work to do to encourage consumers not just to throw away unwanted items. In contrast, when it comes to ‘easier’ actions such as looking for sustainability information, 46% say they do this always or most of the time, while 30% says they do this sometimes.
Drilling down further into consumer behaviour, 51% say they have ‘purchased sustainable options’ when buying clothing. The equivalent figure for footwear is 35%, with beauty and cosmetics (29%) and jewellery (24%) also scoring strongly here. It is worth noting the fashion sector has pushed its sustainability credentials in recent years.
When it comes to the purchase of second-hand or refurbished items, 44% say they have bought pre-loved clothing. This sector, we suspect, will continue to grow. The equivalent figure for books is 26% and 22% for footwear.
Finally, to return to where we began, in recent years both the French government and the European Union have been proactive in introducing legislation to promote sustainability. Retailers have adjusted to the new regulatory framework and, in some cases, gone further than the laws required.
Against this backdrop, the rise of populism may, in the short term, lead to authorities reining in environmental legislation, but it is worth remembering that sustainability is not just a top-down issue. Changes in consumer behaviour also set the agenda here. Even the fast-fashion sector, under pressure from young consumers who want cheap prices and high ethical standards, will likely need to adjust how they conduct business.
The first France 360 report takes in political and macroeconomic factors, ConsumerX analysis of how French shoppers want to interact with retailers and analysis of both French retailers and of leading retailers from other territories that help shape the market.
Our analysis of the French is illustrated with company profiles showcasing the nine retailers, including Dior, standing out in the market. Each profile offers company profit and sales figures, share price and web traffic as well as a review of what makes their business exemplary.
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