COMPETITOR SHOP

THE FINAL STORE I WENT TO FOR MY COMP SHOP WAS PRADA, ANOTHER HIGH END BRAND KNOWN FOR ITS LUXURY CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES - MORE SPECIFICALLY, ITS LEATHER GOODS AND AVANT-GARDE DESIGNS. I AGAIN, VISITED THE PRADA CONCESSION INSIDE SELFRIDGES BUT I HAVE ALSO BEEN TO BICESTER VILLAGE OUTLET STORE.

AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE EDITED DATA, PRADA HAS THE HIGHEST PRODUCT OFFER OUT OF ALL FOUR BRANDS AT 91,639 PRODUCTS. JUST OVER HALF OF THIS IS ACCESSORIES, WITH THE NEXT BIGGEST SECTORS BEING FOOTWEAR AND TOPS PRADA ALSO HAS THE HIGHEST PRICE RANGE WITH THE MAJORITY OF ITS PRODUCTS SITTING BETWEEN THE 300 TO 2,000 MARK BUT REACHING TO THE HIGHEST WE'VE SEEN YET AT 2 8 MILLION. EVEN WITH A PRICE POINT RANGING THAT HIGH, I DO BELIEVE THAT CHANEL HAS THE HIGHEST PRICE POINT OUT OF ALL FOUR BRANDS AS THIS IS ONE THING THEY ARE KNOWN FOR, NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT THEIR MOST SOUGHT AFTER CLASSIC FLAP BAGS COST 8,000 EACH, ON AVERAGE, ALONE PRADA HAS A GOOD COLOUR MIX, SLIGHTLY HEAVIER ON THE NEUTRAL SIDE WITH A LOT OF BLACK AND WHITE BUSINESS ESQUE GARMENTS, QUITE SIMILAR TO CHANEL. THEY ALSO HAVE A RANGE OF PATTERNS, QUITE OFTEN INCLUDING GEOMETRIC DESIGNS TO MATCH THEIR SIGNATURE TRIANGLE LOGO THE SIZING AT PRADA VARIES DEPENDING ON COLLECTION AND STYLE BUT TYPICALLY THEIR WOMENSWEAR RANGES FROM SIZE 6 TO 24, MAKING IT THE MOST INCLUSIVE OUT OF ALL FOUR BRANDS.

THIS WAS THE BRIGHTEST AND MOST FUNKY STORE OUT OF THEM ALL BUT STILL HAD THE SAME LUXURY FEEL AND FIT PERFECTLY WITH THE BRAND IMAGE, AS WELL AS THE PRODUCTS ON DISPLAY, WHICH PRADA HAD THE MOST OF IN COMPARISON TO THE OTHER BRANDS. PRADA'S CONCESSION WAS ALSO SMALLER AND COMPLETELY OPEN COMPARED TO THE OTHERS WHICH ALL HAD WALLS AND WERE A LOT MORE CLOSED OFF THIS LEADS ME BACK TO THE IDEA OF EXCLUSIVITY, PRADA BEING THE LEAST EXCLUSIVE OUT OF THEM ALL. CHANEL IN PARTICULAR, HAS ITS OWN PRIVATE AREA ENTIRELY WITH A SEPARATE WALK WAY, MOST LIKELY INTENTIONAL TO FIT WITH THEIR HIGH LEVEL OF EXCLUSIVITY, AND GIVEN THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE KNOWN FOR.

PRADA HAVE 32 1 MILLION INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS WHICH IS THE LOWEST OF ALL THE BRANDS BUT STILL A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT. THEY POST SIMILAR CONTENT TO DIOR, LV AND CHANEL AND HAVE A RANGE OF HIGHLIGHTS FOCUSING ON SOME OF THEIR RECENT FOCUSES AS A BRAND. THESE INCLUDE THEIR RECENT PARTNERSHIP WITH UNESCO TO RAISE CHILDREN'S AWARENESS OF OCEAN PROTECTION, OR THEIR NEW PRADA GALLERIA COLLECTION FEATURING SCARLET JOHANSSON, SEEN ALSO ON THE WEBSITE HOMEPAGE, WHICH IS A COLLECTION OF EIGHT LIMITED EDITION STYLES OF THEIR ICONIC GALLERIA BAG.

CHANEL OPERATES A VERTICALLY INTEGRATED EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION MODEL, MEANING ITS CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES ARE ONLY SOLD THROUGH ITS OWN BOUTIQUES AND DEPARTMENT STORE CONCESSIONS WORLDWIDE. BOUTIQUES ARE TYPICALLY FOUND IN UPSCALE, WEALTHY REGIONS AND LUXURY DEPARTMENT STORES GIVEN THAT THE MAJORITY OF POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS TRAVEL THERE, IT ALSO HAS STOREFRONTS AT AIRPORTS. EVEN THE LOBBIES OF SOME FIVE-STAR LUXURY HOTELS HAVE CHANEL BOUTIQUES, WHICH SERVE THE SAME CLIENTELE CITIES WITH CHANEL STORES INCLUDE NEW YORK, BOSTON, AMSTERDAM, SAO PAULO, SYDNEY, HAMBURG CANNES, MIAMI, BANGKOK GENEVA, TOKYO, SAINT TROPEZ, MOSCOW, LOS ANGELES, PARIS, DUBAI, AND LONDON THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD THERE ARE OVER 300 CHANEL STORES WORLDWIDE OF WHICH 120 ARE IN NORTH AMERICA, 90 ARE IN ASIA, AND 70 ARE IN EUROPE THE BRAND ALSO HAS MANY COSMETICS AND FRAGRANCE COUNTERS ACROSS VARIOUS PREMIUM MALLS AND DEPARTMENT STORES AROUND THE WORLD THE BRANDS STRONG STORE PRESENCE CAN ALSO BE LINKED TO ITS LACK OF E-COMMERCE, WITH THE ONLY PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO BUY ONLINE BEING COSMETICS, FRAGRANCE AND PRELOVED (PRELOVED NOT THROUGH DIRECT CHANNELS) CHANEL BELIEVES THAT NOT ONLY DOES THIS STRATEGY INCREASE EXCLUSIVITY DUE TO THE ITEMS BEING LESS ACCESSIBLE BUT ALSO THAT THE LUXURY TAILORED SHOPPING EXPERIENCE THEY STRIVE TO PROVIDE CAN'T BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE CLICK OF A BUTTON ONLINE, NOR CAN IT COMPARE TO VISITING A CHANEL BOUTIQUE

Promotion

CHANEL’S PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY IS VERY MUCH ONE OF A KIND AS THE BRAND DEPENDS HEAVILY ON WORD OF MOUTH AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY CHANEL TYPICALLY RUN ADVERTISEMENTS IN HIGH END FASHION MAGAZINES LIKE MARIE CLAIRE, HARPER'S BAZAAR, VOGUE, ELLE, ETC THE BRAND ALSO UTILISES POINT OF SALE MARKETING, WITH ELEGANT STORE DESIGNS AND INVENTIVE MANNEQUIN USAGE TO ENTICE CLIENTS INTO THEIR BOUTIQUES. THEY OFTEN EMPLOY HOLLYWOOD ACTRESSES AND SUPERMODELS TO REPRESENT AND MODEL FOR THE BRAND, BENEFITING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE FAME OF SAID MODELS, AND, IN TURN, RESULTING IN A BRAND SYNERGY BETWEEN THEM DUE TO CHANELS RENOWNED BRAND EQUITY. MOREOVER, A LOT OF ATTENTION IS DRAWN TO THE BRAND WHEN CELEBRITIES CARRY CHANEL BAGS OR WEAR CHANEL HAUTE COUTURE ON THE RED CARPETS OF PRESTIGIOUS AWARD SHOWS AND FILM FESTIVALS. THIS ATTRACTS THE ATTENTION OF FASHION MAGAZINE JOURNALISTS AND CRITICS, WHO THEN MENTION THE BRAND AND ITS PRODUCTS IN PUBLICATIONS LIKE MAGAZINES, BLOGPOSTS, NEWSPAPERS, AND TELEVISION PROGRAMMES. CHANEL ALSO UTILISES ITS HEAVILY FOLLOWED SOCIAL MEDIA SITES FOR SUBTLE PROMOTING TO CREATE A STRONGER BOND WITH ITS TARGET CUSTOMERS WHILST KEEPING THE EXCLUSIVE NATURE OF THE BRAND IN TACT

AS ONE OF THE TOP FASHION BRANDS IN THE WORLD AND A HIGH-END LUXURY PREMIUM CATEGORY BRAND, CHANEL TARGETS AFFLUENT CONSUMERS, CATERING TO AN ELITE AUDIENCE CHANEL PROVIDES A VARIETY OF CLOTHING ITEMS AND ALTHOUGH MOST OF CHANEL'S GOODS ARE MARKETED TOWARDS WOMEN, THE COMPANY ALSO OFFERS A LINE OF COLOGNE AND SCENTS FOR MEN THE BRANDS MARKETING MIX CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING PRODUCT CATEGORIES; HAUTE COUTURE, READY-TO-WEAR, HANDBAGS, SHOES, WATCHES, JEWELLERY, FRAGRANCE, MAKEUP, SKINCARE & SUNGLASSES. CHANEL'S GOODS ENJOY WIDESPREAD RECOGNITION, NOT JUST AMONG WEALTHY CUSTOMERS, BUT ALSO WELLKNOWN HOLLYWOOD STARS AND CELEBRITIES. BECAUSE ANY MINOR FLAW COULD SERIOUSLY HARM THE REPUTATION OF THE BRAND, CHANEL PLACES A PREMIUM ON PRODUCT QUALITY WITH EACH PRODUCT BEING MADE BY MANY INDIVIDUALS, ALL OF WHICH ARE HIGHLY SKILLED AT THEIR CRAFT. CHANEL AVOIDS MASS PRODUCTION AND INSTEAD CREATES LIMITED EDITIONS OF ITS PRODUCTS, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE FASHION AND FINE JEWELLERY MARKETS THE BRAND IS FAMOUS FOR ITS SIMPLE, STYLISH GOODS MANUFACTURED FROM COSTLY AND VALUABLE RAW MATERIALS.

Price

SINCE THE OPENING OF THE FIRST CHANEL STORE, THE BRAND HAS CATERED TO THE FASHION DEMANDS OF UPPER-CLASS ARISTOCRATS WHO VALUE INDULGENCE AND SATISFYING THEIR THIRST FOR FINER GOODS. THE SAME SPECIALISED AND CASH RICH CUSTOMER BASE CONTINUES TO BE ITS TARGET MARKET, THEREFORE ENABLING CHANEL TO USE AN EXTORTIONATE PRICING STRATEGY IN ITS MARKETING MIX WHILST KEEPING PRICES JUSTIFIABLE DUE TO THE HIGH QUALITY OF THEIR EXCLUSIVE RAW MATERIALS, THE WORLD CLASS STYLE AND ELEGANCE PORTRAYED BY EACH PRODUCT, THE EXCLUSIVITY OF THE BRAND, THE RICH AND WILLING TO PAY TARGET SEGMENT AND THE IDEA THAT OWNING A CHANEL PRODUCT INCREASES ONES SOCIAL STATUS THE PRICING STRATEGIES FOR THE VARIOUS PRODUCT CATEGORIES WITHIN CHANEL VARY. FOR INSTANCE, HAUTE COUTURE IS PRICED IN THE EXTREMELY HIGH-END SEGMENT, STARTING AT $10,000 TO $60,000 AND GOING AS HIGH AS $100,000, AS OPPOSED TO THE READY-TO-WEAR COLLECTIONS, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY IN THE RANGE OF $1000 TO $50,000.

Strengths

MOST FOLLOWED FASHION BRAND ON SOCIAL MEDIA DUE TO ITS ENGAGING CONTENT GIVING IT A VERY STRONG SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE.

STRONG BRAND IDENTITY WITH RICH HERITAGE AND HISTORY

CURRENTLY WORTH 15.3 BILLION DOLLARS AND IS ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE BRANDS IN THE WORLD

MOST POPULAR LUXURY BRAND IN CHINA.

POPULAR CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT

CONSISTENT STRONG FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OVER THE YEARS

EXCELLENT PRODUCTION QUALITY FOCUSING ON PRODUCING PREMIUM PRODUCTS

LOYAL CUSTOMER BASE

KNOWN FOR THEIR CLASSIC AND TIMELESS DESIGNS

HAS A WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS SUCH AS CLOTHING, ACCESSORIES, FOOTWEAR, JEWELLERY, WATCHES, PERFUME, SKIN CARE AND MAKEUP

THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR VIRGINIE VIARD HAS SPENT THE MAJORITY OF HER CAREER AT CHANEL, FIRST JOINING IN 1987, SHADOWING THE LATE KARL LAGERFELD.

Weaknesses

CHANEL'S HEAVY PRICING PUTS THEM AT A DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE MANY OF THEIR COMPETITORS HAVE CHEAPER OPTIONS WITH NO COMPROMISE IN QUALITY.

THE PASSING OF CHANEL'S LONGSTANDING CREATIVE DIRECTOR KARL LAGERFELD

LIMITED TARGET MARKET DUE TO ITS PRODUCT BEING IN PREMIUM CATEGORY.

FASHION CATEGORY NOT AVAILABLE FOR SALE THROUGH ONLINE CHANNEL.

CHANEL WEBSITE ONLY ALLOWS YOU TO SEE CERTAIN PRODUCTS - YOU CAN’T SEE ALL THEY HAVE TO OFFER, PRICING OR MAKE A PURCHASE ONLINE. ALMOST ALL OF THEIR COMPETITORS HAVE SIMILAR PRODUCTS AND THE SAME PRODUCT RANGE, CHANEL LOSES TO HERMES WHEN IT COMES TO EXCLUSIVITY WHEN EXCLUSIVITY IS THE PRIME FOCUS OF THE BRAND.

Opportunities

OMNI CHANNEL THE BUSINESS TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER BRANDS/ARTISTS

EXPAND INTO EMERGING TRENDS

LOWER PRICES TO IMPROVE MARKET SHARES AND SALES

ADD FASHION CATEGORY INTO ONLINE SALES CHANNEL AND ALLOW PURCHASING THROUGH CHANEL WEBSITE TO IMPROVE OVERALL SALES RESEARCH WHAT THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC WANTS TO THEN DEVELOP AND PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE NEW PRODUCTS

Threats

COUNTERFEITS ARE GROWING AT AN ALARMING RATE AND ARE POPULAR DUE TO THEIR AFFORDABILITY WHICH TARNISHES THE BRANDS IMAGE

CHANEL HAVE INTENSE COMPETITION WITHIN THE LUXURY MARKET SUCH AS LOUIS VUITTON, HERMES, DIOR, GUCCI AND ROLEX.

CURRENCY RISK DUE TO FLUCTUATING EXCHANGE RATE MARKET SATURATION

Political

FRANCE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT COUNTRIES IN THE WESTERN WORLD AND PLAYS A HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS WITH A VAST AMOUNT OF ALLIANCES ABROAD

IT IS ONE OF THE PERMANENT MEMBERS OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL AND A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE ORGANISATION

AS ONE OF THE LEADING MEMBER STATES, FRANCE ALSO PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

IT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR ALLIES OF THE UNITED STATES HOWEVER, MANY ARGUE THAT THE GROWING RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN GERMANY AND FRANCE WOULD QUESTION THE LEADERSHIP OF THE US IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS

FRANCE MAINTAINS GOOD BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH THE UK EVEN DESPITE THE HISTORICAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE TWO BEING CHARACTERISED BY SEVERAL DIFFICULTIES

IT HAS ESTABLISHED A POWERFUL FOOTHOLD THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST HOWEVER IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SEVERAL OF ITS INTERNATIONAL POLICIES HAVE RECEIVED HARSH CRITICISM

ALTHOUGH FRANCE NORMALLY HAS GOOD POLITICAL STABILITY, IT HAS RECENTLY SEEN SOME LAWAND-ORDER CONCERNS AS A RESULT OF THE FREQUENT WEEKLY PROTESTS OVER A VARIETY OF ISSUES IN RECENT

YEARS THESE HAVE CAUSED COMMERCIAL DISRUPTIONS AND HARMED THE CONFIDENCE OF BOTH DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN INVESTORS

Economic

BEING ONE OF THE TOP TEN ECONOMIES IN THE WORLD

THE ECONOMY OF FRANCE IS BOTH HIGHLY DEVELOPED AND DIVERSE

IT CONTRIBUTES IMMENSELY TO THE GDP OF THE EURO AREA

(FOCUS ECONOMICS, 2023)

FRANCE IS A MEMBER OF THE G7 NATO WTO, AND OECD

ITS CLOSEST TRADING PARTNER IS GERMANY

IT HOUSES SOME OF THE LARGEST COMPANIES IN THE WORLD INCLUDING AXA, L’OREAL, EDF CARREFOUR LVMH PPR, AREVA, VEOLIA ENVIRONNEMENT, JCDECAUX, AND AIR FRANCE

THE HIGH-END FOOD AND BEVERAGE, LEISURE, AND TOURIST SECTORS ARE ALSO THRIVING DUE TO FRANCE

BEING ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TRAVEL

DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD

RENOWNED FOR ITS INCREDIBLE SCENERY, VIBRANT CITIES AND RICH CULTURE IT ALSO HAS SOME OF THE WORLD'S TOP MONUMENTS, MUSEUMS, AND ART GALLERIES

FRANCE IS KNOWN FOR PRODUCING HIGH-QUALITY COSMETICS AND LUXURY GOODS ADDITIONALLY, IT IS A WORLD LEADER IN THE AVIATION, RAIL AND AUTOMOTIVE SECTORS

THE GDP OF FRANCE IS EXPECTED TO REACH AROUND $2973 00 BILLION US DOLLARS

BY THE END OF 2023 (TRADING ECONOMICS 2023)

THE ECONOMY REBOUNDED

QUICKLY FOLLOWING THE RECENT GLOBAL LOCKDOWN CHALLENGES (OECD, 2023)

Social

FRANCE IS ONE OF THE WORLDS MOST DEVELOPED AND MODERN COUNTRIES

THE TOTAL POPULATION IS 65 6 MILLION (WORLDOMETER 2023)

THE POPULATION IS VERY DIVERSE, WITH PEOPLE OF MANY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND ORIGINS

THE LIFE EXPECTANCE FOR MEN IS 79 YEARS AND 85 YEARS FOR WOMEN (STATISTA, 2023)

FRENCH IS THE SECOND MOST WIDELY LEARNED FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN THE WORLD

FRANCE IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TRAVEL DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD WITH ITS CULTURE RENOWNED FOR SOPHISTICATION AND ELEGANCE AND THE COUNTRY, FAMOUS FOR ITS CUISINE, FASHION, PERFUME, CARS, CULTURE, AND LANGUAGE

IT IS ALSO HOME TO SOME OF THE GREATEST WRITERS PAINTERS MUSICIANS AND FILMMAKERS IN THE WORLD FRANCE IS ALSO ONE OF THE TOP FASHION CAPITALS OF THE WORLD AND FOR MORE THAN THREE CENTURIES FRENCH FASHION HAS SERVED AS THE PLATFORM FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY IMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH LUXURY AND ARTISANAL CRAFTSMANSHIP CHILDREN IN FRANCE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 6 AND 16 ARE ENTITLED TO FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION ADDITIONALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO FULFIL CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS HIGHER EDUCATION IS FREE THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL ESTEEMED UNIVERSITIES IN FRANCE

DESPITE THE MAJORITY OF FRENCH PEOPLE HAVE GREAT LEVELS OF LIVING, THERE IS A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF UNEMPLOYMENT AS WELL AS FREQUENT INDUSTRIAL STRIKES PROTESTS AND LABOUR UNREST ANTI IMMIGRATION SENTIMENT HAS BEEN REPORTED IN SOME AREAS OF FRENCH SOCIETY

IT IS REPORTED THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF FRENCH PEOPLE WHO ARE BLACK OR MIXED-RACE HAVE EXPERIENCED RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

Technological

FRANCE IS ONE OF THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD WITH A REMARKABLE HISTORY IN THE AREAS OF SCIENCE, IT, AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY

FRANCE WAS THE THIRD NATION TO LAUNCH ITS OWN SATELLITE AND THE SIXTH NATION TO HAVE A SATELLITE IN ORBIT AFTER FORMER SOVIET UNION, USA, CANADA, UK AND ITALY. THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT HAS INVESTED HEAVILY IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN TECHNOLOGY, ESTABLISHING A NUMBER OF TECHNOLOGY

HUBS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND HOME TO A NUMBER OF TECH GIANTS

THE USAGE RATE OF THE INTERNET IS HIGH IN FRANCE, COMPETING WITH OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRIES SUCH AS LONDON

PARIS HAS SOME OF THE WORLD’S LEADING STARTUP COMPANIES AND VENTURE CAPITALS HOWEVER THE COUNTRY IS STILL FACING A SHORTAGE OF SKILLED COMPUTER ENGINEERS.

Environmental

FRANCE WAS THE MOST VISITED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD IN 2022 WELCOMING 82 6 MILLION TOURISTS (GLOBAL CONNECT 2023)

FRANCE FACES MANY ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES THANKS TO THE GROWTH AND PROGRESS OF THEIR ECONOMY, INCLUDING EROSION OF BIODIVERSITY, NOISE POLLUTION, HOUSEHOLD WASTE, WATER POLLUTION, AND AIR POLLUTION

THE COUNTRY HAS PREVIOUSLY FACED WATER CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY ACID RAIN WHICH IMPACTED WATER QUALITY AND ALSO DESTROYED FORESTS

THE GOVERNMENT HAS A PRIME FOCUS ON FORESTRY AND ITS SPECIES DUE TO ONE THIRD OF THE LAND BEING FOREST THEY HAVE INCREASED AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS BY CREATING DESIGNATED NITRATE ZONES

FRANCE IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST NOTORIOUS LOCATIONS FOR INDUSTRIAL CARBON DIOXIDE THIS IS SOMETHING THE COUNTRY HAS TO FOCUS MORE ON AS THE MILLIONS OF METRIC TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE SEEPING FROM THE COUNTRY AFFECT THE WORLD’S ENVIRONMENT AS A WHOLE FRANCE IS ONE OF THE MOST NOTORIOUS LOCATIONS FOR INDUSTRIAL CARBON DIOXIDE

THE NATION NEEDS TO PAY GREATER ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE SINCE THE MILLIONS OF METRIC TONNES OF CARBON DIOXIDE IT EMITS HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT GLOBALLY

ACROSS ALL BUSINESS TYPES, A WORKWEEK MUST BE 35 HOURS LONG BY LAW IN FRANCE HOWEVER MANY PEOPLE PUT IN MORE HOURS THAN THAT EMPLOYEE OVERTIME, YEARLY LEAVE, SICK LEAVE, MATERNITY LEAVE, PATERNITY LEAVE SABBATICAL LEAVE, ARE ALL COVERED BY FRENCH EMPLOYMENT LAW.

FRANCE OPERATES UNDER A SYSTEM OF CODES (PENAL, CIVIL, COMMERCIAL, LABOUR, ETC ) THE SYSTEMS ARE IN PLACE TO BENEFIT THE MOST DISADVANTAGED, THANKS TO SOCIAL PROTECTIONS, IN PARTICULAR, OR TO UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, PENSIONS, HOLIDAYS, ETC. CONSUMERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO SHOP ONLINE, ARE GETTING BETTER PROTECTION WHICH FACILITATES PURCHASES AND THEREFORE IMPROVES THE ECONOMY.

FRANCE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE WORLDS KEY PLAYERS IN THE FUR TRADE FOR MANY YEARS BUT THE FRENCH GOVERMENT HAVE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE BANNING OF FUR FARMING – WITH THE LAST OF ITS FOUR REMAINING FUR FARMS TO SHUT BY 2025