FRANCE- ENERGIE: MICHEL-EDOUARD LECLERC DOES NOT EXCLUDE ONE-TIME SHOP CLOSURES
PARIS (Archyde.com) – Michel-Edouard Leclerc, chairman of the strategic committee of Leclerc centers, announced on Monday that some of the group’s stores could close “during certain time slots” if this proves necessary to limit energy consumption this winter.
“We can close stores on certain time slots (…) we will have no moods, we are fighting for our country”, declared Michel-Edouard Leclerc on franceinfo.
The sector has “taken matters into its own hands” and is considering a number of “crisis” scenarios to prepare for possible supply restrictions next winter, amid concerns around a complete interruption of Russian gas deliveries to Europe.
“All together we should be able to guarantee French consumers (…) not to have too big cuts and if there are cuts, it is first of all companies like ours who will take them”, he pointed out.
Perifem, a federation of distribution players and their suppliers dedicated to technical issues (environment, safety, etc.) announced last Monday in a press release an agreement on an “energy crisis protocol” which should be implemented on 15 next October.
This protocol, which provides for example for the extinction of illuminated signs as soon as the store closes and a reduction in the light intensity of the lighting, has in particular been ratified by the leaders of the Auchan, Carrefour, Casino, Franprix, Intermarché, Leclerc and Picard.
The Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher announced in an interview with the Sunday Journal (JDD) the forthcoming publication of two decrees prohibiting illuminated advertisements between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., except in stations and airports open at night, as well as the prohibition for heated or air-conditioned stores to keep their doors open.
(Report Myriam Rivet, edited by Nicolas Delame)