French Summer Sales Fall Short Despite One‑Week Extension

Overview

• The summer sales began on June 24 during an exceptional heatwave that emptied many city-centre shops and prompted the government to extend the sales by one week to help merchants clear stock.
• The Institut français de la mode recorded a 1.3% fall in sales value over the first four weeks of the sales compared with 2025, and about 60% of firms reported lower store traffic.
• Independent retailers suffered the steepest losses, with industry groups reporting drops of about 11% for independents and up to 20% for women's ready-to-wear at the start of the season.
• Air-conditioned shopping centres and group-owned stores gained customers during the heatwave, with operators such as Mercyalis reporting double-digit increases at some sites while many small shops stayed empty.
• Sector leaders say the weak result reflects deeper change from year-round promotions, e-commerce and earlier seasonal buying, and officials have signalled a government review that could reshape the sales calendar and rules.