In a gesture of support for traders whose activity was affected by the riots, the sales will be extended for a week, until August 1, announced Wednesday July 5 the Minister Delegate for Trade, Olivia Grégoire, in a interview on France 2. In addition, traders who wish to do so will be able to “open this Sunday” in order to “catch up in particular with last weekend”. The first two weekends are “hyperimportant for the sales”, explained the minister.

The riots linked to the death of Nahel “brought a sudden halt to sales activity” for large retailers, which fell from 8% of turnover last Wednesday to 4.1% over the first five days compared to 2022, the Trade Alliance noted on Tuesday. The Paris region “records the worst results”, with an overall drop of ?2% in turnover on this first part of the sales, according to the same source.

Yohann Petiot, the general manager of the Alliance du Commerce, one of the two main clothing federations, on Wednesday welcomed the proposal to open on Sunday but asked that “the prefectures be reactive for rapid implementation because we are already the 5 of July “. “It would be great if we had another image [than that of the violence], that of a dynamic France”, with the stores in full swing, he said.

More than a thousand businesses directly affected

As for the other major clothing federation, the FNH, its president, Pierre Talamon, is less enthusiastic. Extended sales “can only help those whose stores have been vandalized. For the others, it’s grated, it doesn’t change anything”, also in a context of inflation. The FNH calls for the establishment of partial unemployment “for the coming quarter, as well as that of a solidarity fund” for traders forced to close.

Olivia Grégoire also confirmed support measures on the insurance side. “I asked that the reporting period, which is normally five days when you have a claim, be increased to thirty days. I thank the insurers who accepted,” she said. The Minister claimed to have obtained, for the most affected independent traders, that “the deductibles be lowered, on a case-by-case basis”, and also requested rapid compensation. At the same time, it will be possible to spread the tax or social debt and, “in the most serious cases of very affected traders”, cancellations of charges may be considered, she assured.

“More than a thousand businesses were directly affected by the riots”, including more than 400 tobacconists, 400 bank branches, 200 food stores, but also hundreds of sports shops, opticians, pharmacists, independents, many looted , “some completely destroyed, others just the glass, but it’s a trauma”, according to the minister. Ms. Grégoire clarified that the damage will amount “possibly to a few hundred million euros”.

Free psychological support

Last measure: the Minister announced that she had asked two psychological support associations, Apesa and Amarok, to accompany the advisers at the end of the crisis to support traders free of charge, in particular in the three most affected regions, Ile-de-France. -France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.

“It’s the first time that traders have told me ‘we need a little psychological support'”, “for the moment most of them are not recovering”, she confided. “I’ve had tearful men and women on my arm for three days saying to me, Minister, I don’t know if I’m going to reopen. They are upset, flabbergasted and for some extremely dejected,” she lamented about the stricken traders.

Urban violence erupted in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) on June 27 a few hours after the death of Nahel, 17, killed by a police officer during a traffic check, before spreading to several cities and s ‘amplify. Looting of shops, burning of shops and public buildings, clashes with the police have multiplied across France.