In Dijon, food shops are sticking out their tongues

In the heart of the Burgundy capital, Friday morning, the regulars of the market of the great halls of Dijon (Côte-d’Or) jostle around the vast glass building. Open four days a week, the covered area is home to fishmongers, butchers, greengrocers and other food shops, punctuating activity throughout the city center.

Despite the influx of customers, traders authorized to open are in the red. The worried look of the manager of the Étoile de mer fishmonger speaks volumes. “This confinement is a disaster for businesses like us”, deplores Loïc. In November, his receipts were halved and the customers’ wallets at half mast made him fear a black December. At Gas Normand, the neighboring cheese dairy, Sophie is also encountering significant cash flow difficulties at the end of the year: “No administrative closure, therefore no state aid” deplores the manager, who also recorded a drop of 30 to 40% in turnover in 2020.

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The wine merchant, the Wine Route, a few streets from the market, has not offered Beaujolais Nouveau this year, for lack of proposals from producers and demand from consumers. “At this stage of containment, the sales volume is, at least, halved”, says Jean-Luc, representative of the store. If the market days boost its activity a little, “The weeks are still too calm”, testifies the trader.

“Bottles first price”

“In the spring, customers were scarce, but the price of their basket was much higher, remembers the wine merchant. Today, we feel that they no longer want to spend and are turning to first-price bottles. ” The manager notes the arrival of new customers, anxious to support the “Small traders”, but fears that the phenomenon will not last. According to Joël Mauvigney, the president of the General Confederation of Food Retail (CGAD), the influx of new customers has been less important in recent weeks than during the first confinement.

The cofounder of the Observatory for society and consumption (Obsoco), Philippe Moati, also notes a change in consumption behavior compared to the first confinement: “In March, some consumers turned to convenience stores, short circuit, because they were at home, they were afraid to go to supermarkets.» A phenomenon that has all the same been more favorable to businesses located in residential areas than to those located in the city center, such as in Dijon, notes the economist.

Today, children are back to school, purchasing power is degraded because of the economic crisis and some employees are encouraged to abandon teleworking, so “Consumption habits are said to be returning to normal” observes Philippe Moati.

The Truffle Shop, in Dijon. Photo Claire Jachymiak. Hans Lucas for Liberation

New “slap”

Today, traders fear the holiday season, which represents a significant portion of their revenue in normal times. For the manager of the Boutique de la truffe, that would be “The third slap of the year” with the first containment and the absence of Russian and American tourists. “We have already lost 70% of turnover in November. Truffles are festive products, December represents a third of the figure for the year ”, abounds Yann, one of the family members who own this brand, who expects to experience a critical season.

Same fears for Catherine Blanchard, manager of the small bakery Au Délice de la Chouette, whose income has already been halved at Easter. “If families don’t get together for Christmas, no one will buy our logs”, fears the baker, while Emmanuel Macron should specify Tuesday evening the arrangements for the end of the year celebrations. For these two small family businesses, it is an opportunity to forge links, so as to diversify the offer.

Catherine and her husband will offer their customers all truffle delicacies, in partnership with Yann’s shop, but also frozen desserts, designed with the neighboring ice cream parlor. New collaborations that comfort the shopkeeper a little: “The confinement will at least have had the merit of creating a certain solidarity between the businesses in the city center during this difficult period.”

Pauline Achard special correspondent in Dijon

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