What: Fashion brands in France faced a challenging summer, with slight declines in physical store activity and significant drops in online sales during July and August.

Why it is important: This trend underscores the difficulties fashion brands encounter in balancing physical and digital retail strategies, highlighting the impact of consumer behavior shifts and economic factors like the back-to-school allowance on sales performance.

During July and August, fashion brands in France experienced a slight decline in physical store activity, with sales dropping by 0.5% in July and 0.3% in August. However, the online sales performance was more concerning, with a 5% decrease in July and a 13.3% plunge in August compared to the previous year. The Retail Int. panel for the Alliance du commerce attributes this poor online performance partly to the back-to-school allowance, which benefits entry-level and mid-range brands less invested in digital. Despite some positive weeks in physical sales, overall in-store traffic was disappointing in July but improved in August. The report highlights the need for strategic adjustments in the retail sector to adapt to changing consumer preferences and economic conditions.

Fashion brands in France struggle online during summer months