Their dream? Seeing commerce find itself at the head of the gondola in the context of the presidential election. On Thursday, February 17, 2022, the Alliance du Commerce and Procos (Federation for Urban Planning and Specialized Trade Development) released their white paper, which will be presented to candidates.. They have a few points to make. Because trade weighs heavily in the economy: 3.2 million jobs, 986,000 companies and 217.3 billion euros in added value, or just over 10% of the French economy.
Weakened by repeated strikes, the yellow vests crisis and the pandemic, the retail sector is facing unprecedented changes: digitalization, new environmental standards, changing purchasing habits. In ten years, for example, the share of digital commerce has increased from 3.3% to 13.1% of turnover in this sector. Called to reinvent itself, commerce is becoming omnichannel and has never needed so much investment.
The burden of state-guaranteed loans
However, the points of weakness are numerous, with in particular chronic under-investment: 2% on average of turnover against 4% for the rest of the companies and 9% for Amazon. Traders also have to deal with the repayment of state-guaranteed loans during the Covid crisis: 34 billion euros.
How to invest when costs are constantly increasing (+1.5% on average annual increase in commercial rents since 2011) and turnover is declining (-1.8% in the city center and -2.3% % in shopping centers), wonder the two organizations. The eternal question of charges is still relevant. The Tascom (tax on commercial surfaces) has been multiplied by five in twenty years (1 billion euros) and the impact of the reduction in production taxes (good news) only benefits up to 15% of 10 billion euros for trade.
Reduce taxes
To revitalize this sector, the two organizations are calling for the abolition of the tax on commercial surfaces but also the local tax on outdoor advertising, as well as a reduction in the Social Solidarity Contribution of Companies (C3S). To strengthen France’s commercial attractiveness as the Rugby World Cup and the 2024 Olympic Games loom, the white paper calls for a simplification of procedures for ZTIs (International Tourism Zones), the possibility of the right to open 12 Sundays a year, a 5.5% reduction in VAT for eco-responsible products. They call for the definition of a major national plan for the modernization of commercial areas and allow the transferability of authorizations issued by the departmental commissions for commercial development.
Recycle textiles
It also seems urgent to them to encourage the development of high-performance recycling channels to remove the major technical obstacles that prevent, before recycling, efficient sorting of products by material. This could make it possible, with the support of the public authorities, to develop industrial demonstrators in association with innovative textile players.
Our proposals all converge towards a common objective which is to enable commerce to fulfill its essential mission, everywhere in France: to create jobs, energize cities and towns, strengthen the attractiveness of territories and contribute to social ties.
insists Emmanuel Le Roch, general delegate of Procos.
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