Orange with 6Medias, published on Thursday, September 08, 2022 at 6:25 p.m.
While inflation is progressing everywhere in Europe, France appears to be the Eldorado of cross-border consumers. According to a study by NielsenIQ reported by BFMTV, stores close to the borders have seen their turnover increase sharply this summer.
The rise in inflation is certainly worrying in France, but the situation does not seem better in its neighboring countries, far from it.
According to a study by the research group NielsenIQ reported by BFMTV, the turnover of border stores (those located 20 km or less from a neighboring country) increased by 7.5% on average this summer compared to past year. France is indeed experiencing less severe inflation than other countries in Europe.
On average, inflation reached 9.1% in the euro zone during the month of August: including 10% in Belgium, 10.3% in Spain, 9% in Italy and 8.8% in Germany. Over the same period, it was 6.5% in France. Result: all the border areas have experienced an increase in their economic activity, according to BFMTV. With the exception of the border with Spain, the proximity to Andorra, a principality with an attractive tax system, attracting many consumers.
10.8% more sales at the Luxembourg border
At the German border, sales increased by 5.7% compared to last year, and by 7.4 and 7.5% respectively at the Italian and Belgian borders. But it was close to Switzerland (9.1%) and Luxembourg (10.8%) that the increases were the most significant. A very high rate which is explained by the fact that life is more expensive than in France, even outside periods of inflation.
Exceptional sales growth, which has sometimes reached – or even exceeded – the rate of very touristic areas such as the Baie de Somme (11%), the Normandy coast (9%) or the Vendée coast (7%), concludes the study .