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Retailers in France and Italy shortened hours, closed some stores or reinforced storefronts ahead of a second weekend of protests, adding lost sales and security costs to repair bills from the previous demonstrations. French authorities reported 24 stores looted and several damaged on Saturday, down from 1,522 businesses affected the week before; comparable nationwide figures for Italy were not provided.
Retailers in France and Italy curtailed opening hours, closed some locations and reinforced storefronts during a second weekend of protests, as businesses counted lost sales and added security costs on top of repairs from the previous demonstrations. In France, the Interior Ministry said 24 stores were looted and several were damaged on Saturday, a marked decline from the 1,522 businesses it said were affected the week before.
The demonstrations took place on Saturday, with marches in both countries described by WWD as mostly peaceful, although violence occurred in isolated areas. Retailers’ precautions still disrupted trading during the run-up to the holiday season. The French Retail Federation said the measures taken to protect employees and shops were affecting business, while warning that closures and barricades should not become routine.
Store responses in France varied. Apple closed its three Paris stores, while LVMH said it planned to operate as usual. Printemps closed its Lille location and shortened hours at other stores, including sites in Paris and several regional cities. Galeries Lafayette kept its stores open but reduced hours at locations in eight cities, according to company spokespeople quoted by WWD. Along the Champs-Élysées, about half of stores had metal shutters or chipboard protecting their fronts.
French authorities deployed 70,000 police officers and gendarmes, alongside military personnel and specialist units. The CGT union estimated 800,000 people took part nationwide, while the Interior Ministry put the figure at 410,000. The ministry reported 1,314 arrests, down from 2,628 the previous week. It said a group of about 500 violent “troublemakers” clashed with police in eastern Paris; clashes were also reported in several other cities.
Holiday Sales Face Security Disruptions
The immediate cost to retailers is not limited to broken windows or stolen goods. Shortened hours and closures mean lost trading time, while barricades and private security add expenses. Those costs arrive during the holiday shopping period, when stores typically depend on seasonal sales. The French Retail Federation said precautions affected business, but the source report did not provide a total estimate of lost revenue or security spending.
The dispute also puts attention on who is responsible for protecting shops. Local businesses must balance staff and customer safety against the cost of staying open, while public authorities face pressure to prevent further damage. The effects may vary sharply between retailers: a national chain may have more capacity to secure multiple sites than a small independent shop.
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Damage Fell After the Previous Weekend
The Saturday demonstrations followed marches on Oct. 17, when extensive damage was reported in France. The Interior Ministry said 1,522 businesses were affected that weekend. Trade Minister Serge Papin estimated that more than 3,000 stores had been damaged or looted, while Paris authorities counted 451 vandalized retailers in the capital, including 228 stores stripped bare. These figures come from different sources and descriptions, and should not be treated as directly equivalent totals.
Ahead of the second weekend, Paris police chief Patrice Faure urged shopkeepers to consider precautions such as closing early, securing windows, removing objects that could be thrown and hiring private guards where possible. The suggestion to pay for private security drew criticism from David Lisnard, president of the Association of French Mayors. The report also noted anger over public-school conditions and the rising cost of living as factors behind protests against President Emmanuel Macron’s administration.
“Compared with last Saturday, yesterday was a relief. But the precautions taken to protect shops and their staff are having an impact on business.”
— Judith Jiguet, executive director of the French Retail Federation
Full Costs and Italy Figures Awaited
The source report does not provide a consolidated figure for lost sales, repair bills or additional security costs after either weekend. It also gives no comparable nationwide count of damaged or looted businesses in Italy, so the scale of the impact there cannot be quantified from the available information. The French ministry’s account of Saturday’s damage is a preliminary official tally, while the union and ministry reported substantially different estimates of protest attendance.
It remains unclear how long retailers will keep reduced hours or protective barriers in place, whether further damage will be reported, and how much of the lost business can be recovered later in the holiday season. The report identifies a nationwide strike call by French unions for Nov. 5, but does not establish what disruption that action will cause.
Retailers Watch the November 5 Strike
French retailers are monitoring the next planned round of labor action: unions have called for nationwide strikes on Nov. 5. The French Retail Federation said it remained particularly vigilant ahead of that date. Store operators may adjust hours or security plans depending on local conditions, but the report does not give a confirmed schedule of further closures.
For now, the next measure of the protests’ commercial impact will be more complete information on damage, repair expenses and trading losses in both countries. Authorities and retailers have not published a combined financial estimate, leaving the final cost to businesses unresolved.
Key Questions
What happened to retailers during the second protest weekend?
Some retailers closed stores, shortened opening hours or reinforced storefronts. The measures were taken amid demonstrations that were mostly peaceful, with violence in isolated areas.
How much damage was reported in France?
The French Interior Ministry said 24 stores were looted and several were damaged on Saturday. It had reported 1,522 businesses affected during the previous weekend; the figures describe different weekends and should not be combined.
How many people attended the demonstrations?
For the French demonstrations, the CGT union estimated 800,000 participants nationwide, while the Interior Ministry counted 410,000. The two organizations gave different estimates.
Are the total financial losses known?
No. The report describes lost trading time, repair work and additional security expenses, but gives no total cost for France or Italy. It also does not provide a nationwide damage tally for Italy.
What is the next date retailers are watching?
French unions have called for nationwide strikes on Nov. 5. The French Retail Federation said it was monitoring the date, but the scale of any resulting disruption is not yet known.
Source: rss
