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Why shoppers are still opting for paper till receipts in France

As many as 60% still ask for paper receipts, despite a new law making them opt-in only

LIST: See what state aid is available to repair home goods in France

Changes to the scheme on January 1 will increase the amount available and extend the list of eligible items

‘France’s answer to Primark’ plans to expand with shops across country

Low-cost clothing brand Naumy is set to open a 1,500m2 store in Paris this month. But that is not the end of its expansion plans

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Germany’s answer to Action? Low-cost brand opens first store in France

TEDi sells mainly non-food items at low prices and is expected to open around a dozen shops across France in the coming months

12 changes for residents and homeowners in France in March 2023

Sales calls, food prices, petrol prices, and fuel deadlines: We look at key changes and need-to-know dates this month

Discount ‘almost all at €1’ store to open in France

The German chain TEDi expects to open another ten stores by the end of 2024

French ‘destock’ shop to sell furniture from UK’s Made.com at 70% off

The discount retailer has bought thousands of pieces from the defunct brand and is set to sell them at hugely marked-down prices

2,600 jobs lost as French clothing group Camaïeu in administration

A court ruling made the decision after the state refused a demand for a multi-million rescue package, saying it was too ‘high risk’

‘Free shops’ to be rolled out in France after successful trial

The zero-waste concept is said to be unique in France and run by a waste management union

New rules in France against misleading discounts and fake reviews

The European directive includes punishments of up to €300,000 and two years in prison depending on the offence

Can I go out to pick up an order at the DIY store?

Some hardware stores such as Castorama, or Leroy Merlin have set up a drive service where you can pick up what you ordered online. However the items are limited to DIY items considered essential such as light bulbs, fuses, electric cables, screws or plumbing tools.

Covid-19 France: cycling for exercise

I have two small questions about confinement: 1. I understand the ban on competitive or sporting cycling, but can I use my bike for exercise as long as I keep to a 1km limit from my home? 2. Can a couple both go in a car to the shops, but only one does the shopping and the other stays in the car?

Covid-19 France: How far can I travel to shop?

Do I have to shop at my nearest supermarket or can I travel further afield? Is there a kilometre limit set for travel for shopping? I need to travel about 11km to get specialist dog food, is this possible under the current rules?

Two in a car: allowed or not?

Your recent e-newsletter contained an article dated 20/04 which states that a couple cannot go out in a car together. On the government website to which you show the link it states "Le covoiturage est possible pour effectuer les déplacements autorisés. Chaque passager du véhicule doit être muni d’une attestation, ou d’un justificatif de déplacement professionnel, en règle." This seems to be a contradiction. Could you clarify?

Shops in France must now honour two-year guarantees under new decree

A new decree came in in June that says receipts must now have the two-year guarantee - called ' garanties de conformité' - written on them

Shops call for cancellation of Black Friday in France

Unions claim online retailers will profit unfairly from the November sales while independent shops are forced to close during confinement

French state to pay delivery fees for bookshops in lockdown

Supermarket chains are also stepping in to help small shops transition to digital sales, as resistance to Amazon and other large online retailers grows

French bookshops inspire support through lockdown closure

Politicians, academics and customers around the world are stepping in to defend France’s beloved independent bookshops as they close during confinement

Supermarkets in France may sell ‘non-essentials’ today

Ban on non-essential items to be fully enforced tomorrow after "day of grace" today, as some smaller shops fight back against new lockdown rules

France mayors defend allowing ‘non-essential’ shops to open

Head of mayoral association defends decision to allow some shops to open despite lockdown as one Haut-Rhin shopkeeper goes on hunger strike

Which shops can stay open during lockdown in France?

From today non-essential shops will close during confinement. We explain which ones can stay open

Fight plastic waste: Refill water bottles at French store

Shoppers in France can now buy self-service filtered water in bulk, as more consumers are choosing to buy their food using their own reusable containers, in a bid to cut down on plastic packaging and waste.

Why are French city centres attracting fewer visitors?

Experts say there are many factors at play - notably competition from large shops on city outskirts that have more parking spaces - which are leaving an increasing number of vacant commercial properties in city centres.

Robots to boost Monoprix home deliveries

Monoprix has created a robotised e-commerce warehouse in partnership with the British company Ocado with the aim of boosting grocery home deliveries.

French supermarkets to sell masks for €2 - €3

Washable and reusable masks for use by the public will be on sale in some supermarkets from next week and in most by May 11.

Deconfinement in France: Masks, tests and shops

French Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe presented the deconfinement plan for May 11 onwards in France in the French Parliament this afternoon. Here are key points on masks, tests, and shops:

Warning over fake Leclerc voucher scam

Fake €250 vouchers for Leclerc supermarkets have been circulating on the internet and social media over the last days.

Covid-19: Emergency opticians in France

Opticians have created an emergency on-call service for people who have broken glasses or other urgent issues during the confinement period.

Covid-19 in France: Full list of services still open

France has published an official list of the shops and services that are still permitted to stay open during the coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak - as all restaurants, bars, cafes and ‘non-essential’ shops are closed.

Patient art of popular French festive treat

Brief history of one high-end confiserie and chocalaterie explains the weeks-long process of creating candied fruit

Success for French rillettes vending machine

A charcuterie boasting the first 24-hour rillettes vending machine is claiming a success after selling 300 pots of its home-made meat spread during its summer closure.

Credit card cashback schemes growing in France

Several major French banks are now giving money back to customers who use their credit card to buy products at partner shops, a practice that is growing in the country.

French town dumps parking meters to boost local shops

Old parking meters mysteriously dumped on roundabouts in central France have prompted some residents to complain of vandalism - but the act has now been revealed as the work of the local council.

France's crafts in focus - November 2019

Inside magical world of a self-taught ceramic artist

Great Christmas gifts for anyone who loves France

We know it's just October and Christmas seems a while away, but we also know that early organisation can help take stress out of seasonal gift-buying

French group Carrefour recalls ham after listeria risk

Packets of ham have been recalled from French supermarket Carrefour over fears there may be a risk of listeria contamination.

French senate allows food shoppers to use own boxes

The French senate has voted to allow consumers to use their own packaging and containers when shopping for food, or buying food and drink “to go”.

Group calls for “1,000 village cafés” to revive France

A social and environmental enterprise is calling on 32,000 communes across France to create or re-open 1,000 rural “village cafés”, in a bid to revive the sense of community in small towns.

Tomatoes in French shops fail taste test

Consumer watchdog's blind taste test found just 33% of consumers were satisfied with the quality of the fruit they were eating

Self-service tills rising in popularity in France

Self-service checkout tills in supermarkets are becoming more common in France, and stand to change consumer behaviour considerably, a new study has found.

Train tickets in France soon sold in tobacco shops

Train passengers in France will soon be able to buy SNCF tickets from tobacconist shops, it has been confirmed, in the same week as SNCF announced more station sellers in response to huge queues.

Hostages freed and young gunman arrested in Toulouse

All four of the people taken hostage during an attack yesterday (May 7) by a gunman in Blagnac, near Toulouse (Haute-Garonne, Occitanie) have now been freed, and the 17-year-old perpetrator arrested.

French blague humour: you’ve gotta laugh

Hairdressers can make your hair curl with the names of their salons – even in France. But French people love terrible jokes, Samantha David says

French city of Marseille to pedestrianise centre

The city of Marseille is to launch a project to pedestrianise the entire town centre, including 22 hectares of newly pedestrian-only zones, requiring new bus routes, and new tariffs for underground car parking.

McDonald’s ‘Big Mac’ trademark cancelled in EU

McDonald’s has had its famous “Big Mac” trademark cancelled across the European Union, after a successful challenge from small Irish burger chain, Supermac.

Amazon France accused of destroying 3m unsold items

Online giant Amazon has been accused of destroying up to three million unsold-but-new items from its warehouses in France in the past year alone.

French bakers accused in court for working too much

Two bakers from Calvados (Normandy) have been summoned before their local courts, accused of illegally selling bread through their bakery seven days per week.

Can French shops refuse to take change?

Can a shop refuse payment in small change? J.P.

Fresh hope as huge bookshop opens in Paris

The opening of a huge new bookshop in Paris recently made national press headlines due to its rarity and raised questions about the mixed fortunes of librairies around the world.

Shoppers force up food quality in France

Pressure from shoppers for safer and better quality supermarket food is working – with price no longer the only selling point, an industry whistleblower believes.

Macron joke site’s making money for homeless

T-shirts making fun of the Elysée Palace souvenir shop have raised €30,000 for homeless and migrant charities as they parody some of President Macron’s outspoken comments.

Man in French town pays for everyone’s food

An unknown man in Grenoble (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) surprised staff in a sandwich shop this week after he paid for all of the remaining food stock, so that all future customers that day would eat for free.

French study: Organic food could lower cancer risk

Eating organic food consistently could lower your risk of contracting at least two different kinds of cancer, a new French scientific study has suggested.

Candia milk bottles from French supermarket recalled

Batches of milk sold at French supermarket Auchan and made by the brand Candia Grandlait are being recalled due to a “suspect flavour and smell”.

French CBD shops forced to close amid legal ambiguity

Cannabidiol (CBD) shops in France are being forced to close their doors just months after opening, after reports that they are being threatened with legal action due to the still-ambiguous legality of the product.

New shops for Champs-Elysées

Department store Galéries Lafayette will open a new ‘shop window’ on the Champs-Elysées in early 2019 as more shops move in to lure visitors from nearby Rue du Faubourg St Honoré.

Supermarkets offer ‘cashback’ for first time in France

Shoppers will be able to ask for “cashback” from their supermarket cashier for the first time ever in France, as the Casino group prepares to roll the scheme out across 150 stores nationwide.

New ‘hybrid’ restaurant-bar project opens in Rennes

A new kind of “hybrid” restaurant-bar has opened in Rennes, comprising a hairdresser and barber shop, a tattoo parlour, a motorbike and vintage car workshop, as well as serving food and drinks.

Lidl unhelpful

Three weeks after I bought a Ponceuse a Bande at Lidl, Valognes, in 2016, the motor stopped, for no obvious reason.

Intermarché to open shop designed for older people

French supermarket group Intermarché is planning to open a new concept store dedicated to older shoppers, initially in Normandy.

French vegan festival cancelled due to rising tensions

A vegan festival that was to take place on September 8 in Calais has been cancelled due to mounting tensions between activists and butchers in the Nord (Hauts-de-France).

CBD shops open in Paris as use spreads across France

The first cannabis “coffee shops” are opening in the Paris region as the legal use of CBD (cannabidiol) spreads across the country.

Plastic Attack excess plastic campaign comes to Paris

A campaign against excess plastic packaging in supermarkets dubbed “operation Plastic Attack”, with the social media hashtag #RidiculousPackaging, is to launch in Paris.

Gendarmerie warns of ‘road map’ supermarket thefts

The national gendarmerie are warning the public to be alert to what they have dubbed “road map thefts”, which are currently targeting shoppers outside supermarkets across the country.

Ski station sells vintage télécabines ahead of revamp

A ski station in Isère has sold all 72 of its vintage “egg” style télécabines, ahead of a €4 million renovation.

Castorama admits ‘clumsy’ to ask French to train Poles

Home DIY and garden company Castorama has been forced to backtrack after admitting it was “clumsy” to ask soon-to-be-made-redundant French staff to train their Polish replacements.

New supermarket resale rules could cost shoppers €5bn

A new government plan to raise the threshold of resale loss for consumer goods could cost consumers €5 billion per year, and up to €177 extra per household, according to a new study.

List published of Carrefour stores at risk of closure

The list of over 250 Carrefour supermarkets threatened with closure has been published, with the regions of Occitanie, Île-de-France, Hauts-de-France, Provence-Côte d’Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes set to be most affected.

Normandy region to get its own as-yet-unnamed currency

Normandy is to have its own currency, which will operate in five departments, and be accepted alongside the Euro in shops and local establishments that join the scheme.

Nice boutique shuts after 168 years

Descendant of store's founder decides it is time to shut up shop after 168 years in business

Lost wedding ring found in Marseille after 18 years

A shop in Marseille has reunited a distinctive wedding ring with its owners, 18 years after the ring first went missing.

Expat shopkeepers keeping high streets alive

French high streets are in a similar position to British counterparts – battling the tide of out-of-town developments and big supermarkets – but that has not stopped entrepreneurial Britons from diving in. Gillian Harvey learns more

Cartes bancaires ready: Black Friday hits France

The US-based Black Friday shopping event has well and truly arrived in France, with retailers keen to shout about the big discounts available from tomorrow.

Ikea France warns of fake €500 discount offer texts

Fan of the big blue and yellow Swedish home store Ikea? Watch out for a fake €500 offer circulating in France - and much of Europe too -, primarily though the texting app, WhatsApp.

Marks & Spencer to close last French store

Favourite British brand Marks & Spencer is to close its very last store in Paris, six years after the company’s hailed return to the capital.