The French Fashion Institute (IFM) has reported disappointing results for the four-week summer sales period in France, which ended on July 15. Sales by French apparel retailers fell 2.7% during the period, in comparison with the 2024 summer sales.
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“Apart from department stores and budget chains, commercial activity has slumped across all retail channels,” said IFM. Of the businesses surveyed by IFM, 57.7% said footfall was down compared to last year’s four-week summer sales period.
In H1 2025, items purchased at a discount (end-of-season sales, event sales, promotions, etc.) accounted for a 34% share of the value of all fashion purchases by French consumers.
In the first six months of 2025, the revenue generated by textile and apparel retailers in France was 0.1% down compared to H1 2024. In terms of the IFM forecasts published in February, “the market has deviated slightly from our relatively optimistic median scenario, which expected a 0.2% increase in apparel and textiles consumption in 2025.”
In H1 2025, the top three apparel retailers in France were second-hand site Vinted followed by budget chain Kiabi and Amazon. Chinese e-tailer Temu made the top 15 for the first time, just behind Zara.
