{{{ {{Existing centres in France
(january 2009)}} }}}

In France, between 1993 and 2007, the sales area dedicated to FOC doubled, from 123.000 sqm (7 centres) to 266.000 sqm (20 centres).

{{{ {{Evolution of the concept in France between 1993 and 2007}} }}}
|{{Year}}|1993|1997|2002|2005|2007|
|{{Number of centres}}|7|12|17|19|20|
|{{Sales area (sqm)}}|123000|152000|216000|251000|266000|
|{{Estimation turnover (€ incl. VAT (Millions d’€)}} |320|426|635|766|800|

{{{ {{Factory outlet centres in France, june 2008}} }}}
|{{ Number of centres }}|20|
|{{ Selling area (sqm)}}|266.000 m²|
|{{ Number of commercail units }}|1 200|
|{{ Authorised projects }}|126.000 m²|
|{{ Projects known to be under consideration}}|more than 100.000 m²|
|{{ Estimation turnover ( € incl. VAT)}}|800 M€|
|{{ Estimation number of employees}}| 5.200|
|{{ Estimation number of consumers (in millions}}|8|

More information about the situation in France, but in french, click here
[http://www.magdus.fr/Situation-france->http://www.magdus.fr/Situation-france]

————

_ Contact : [->accueil@magdus.com]

Speech by {{Dr.Philippe Villemus}},
_ {Former International President at Helena Rubinstein}





{{{Value, innovation and conquest}}}
_
_ There are three important concepts: value, innovation and conquest. These three concepts can be associated with three key themes for companies: demotivation, relocation and differentiation. The problem with value is in the main linked with differentiation. There are no miracle solutions for the problems of conquering customers, conquering markets or increasing value. We now need to look at a number of questions: How can we help companies maximise their growth potential? How de we conquer customers? Can we believe in innovation and in differentiation? How do we restore customers’ confidence in products, services and brands?
_ There are no absolute answers. In the history of mankind, there have been, in total, five Jewish prophets. The first, Moses, said: “God is everything”. The second, Jesus Christ, said: “Love is everything”. The third, Karl Marx, said: “Money is everything”. The fourth, Freud, said: “Sex is everything”. As for the fifth and last, Einstein, he said: “Everything is relative”. The issues of conquering value, innovation and new customers are thus extremely relative ideas. Relative to companies or to brands, to projects or to the strategy and the culture of a company, as well as to all the management techniques and modes applied within a company, from the highest level summit to the ordinary storekeeper. But this idea is above all relative to the willingness and the ability to change things…
_
_
– {{The Rugby World Cup, selling emotion}}
_
_ The 2007 Rugby World Cup gave rise to an exceptional media and popular awareness. In many European countries in which rugby has a place of some importance (France, England, … New Zealand…) as well as in some countries in which rugby is no way near being the most popular sport, audience records were easily broken. The success of this sport, still incomprehensible for many, raises a number of questions. Why were the stadiums full? Why did the television channels beat all their audience records? Half of the spectators and viewers were women. This despite the fact that, according to the various surveys conducted, many women do not understand the game.
_ So what was the fascination? People today do not want to spend large amounts on tickets. Spectators do not want to see scrums, tackles, or even penalties; going to see a match is going to experience the emotion. Not everyone understands all the rules, but they do share a moment of high emotion, in front of their TV or at the stadium. And in capitalising on these emotions, ever since the 1998 Football World Cup, the organisers of major sporting events have understood what they need to sell: This is not simply a ticket for a football or rugby match, but a true moment of emotion. And when we can sell a moment of emotion and not just a product, it become possible to sell this at a much higher price, for example, by over-segmenting, as the organisers of large gatherings do.
_ There are currently thirty-six types of tickets that can be sold, with prices ranging from the most basic to the most cosseted, combined with various services (parking, restaurant, box, hostess, gifts, etc).
_
_
{{{A changing economic, cultural, social and political environment}}}
_
_ The pressure for change in society and with regard to the company has never before in the history of mankind been so strong, and there are seven reasons for this.

– {{Increasing complexity}}
_
_ Today, regardless of the domain (car making, computers, fashion, etc.), doing business is becoming increasingly complex. The planning horizon, that is the ability of companies to predict the future, is getting shorter and shorter. Companies have never before had to forecast so far ahead (forecasts can reach between five and twenty years). The paradox however lies in the fact that we do not know anything about how one’s own market is going to develop. In the 1960’s, in the computer sector, an innovation gave the company 5 to 7 years of stability, in the 1970’s it would give it 3 years, and in the 1980’s, 1 to 1½ years.
Now however, computers and digital cameras evolve every three months and are ever more powerful and cheaper. The level of interaction between the economic, social, political and technological worlds is much greater. On top of this, the changes are almost inexplicable. A few years ago, companies were sometimes asked to provide an explanation for their successful or failed product launches. It was at that time possible to find an explanation. Today, it has become almost impossible to really explain a success or a failure. And this is the case for many companies.
_
_
– {{Increasing pressure}}
_
_ This pressure is on the workforce, on companies and on managers. In the last ten years, with globalisation, the world has seen the emergence of a new empire: China. China is currently totally transfiguring the economic framework for many companies. There is now a huge amount of pressure on companies generated by the financial markets (and not just on listed companies but on all companies, including SMEs).
_
_
– {{Increasing pressure on costs and prices}}
_
_ In Europe, leaving aside the various energy sources (oil in particular) and property (currently on the up), all other categories of products and services are under immense downwards pressure to reduce costs and prices. Some companies are also having to relocate in order to keep up with this movement. The level of pressure on costs and prices has never been so great. Some practitioners and authors are now asking: Are customers going to become simple bargain and promotion hunters?
_
_
– {{Shift in society from the tangible to the intangible}}
_
_ From an “industrial” society we have become a wholly service-based society. This change means that companies are not just sellers of products or services but sellers of aspirations.
_
_

– {{Changing demand}}
_
_ The aging of the European population is beginning to put serious pressure on companies, in terms of brands and marketing policies. This is because an aging population is a more experienced, more educated, population which is beginning to understand the basic principles of marketing, with a better understanding of the superficiality of false added value, which is aware of the true quality/price ratio and which has an idea of the true value of things.
_ The second change in demand: Increasing incomes. In some European countries there is increasing economic insecurity and layers of the population remain in poverty. However, over a period of twenty to thirty years, purchasing power and life styles have improved. And this increase is going to continue into the future.
_ The third change in demand: The significant rise in home ownership in Europe. This increase has changed behaviour in terms of household consumption, travel and mobility.
_ The fourth shift in demand: The changed role for women. In Europe increasing numbers of women work, they marry later, have fewer children and, often, live in single-parent families. Women are thus less and less available for household tasks or for doing the shopping, which will have a serious influence in terms of consumption in Europe.
_
_
– {{The four “key-trends”}}
_
_ These trends first emerged in the United States and Japan. Previously it took about three or four years before trends developed over the Atlantic reached us, but the time scale is now a year. These key-trends are going to have significant ramifications in Europe. The first of these trends can be called “Taking Care Of Myself”, the desire to consume in order to take care of oneself and one’s body, explaining the boom in consumption in health, “healthy” and “whole” foods, health clubs, beauty creams, glasses, shampoo, etc. products…
_
_ The second key-trend is called “Questing” and refers to the “quest” of the consumer for new experiences. We have seen in Europe a major expansion in complementary education, universities for retired people and new learning. Consumers are looking for new experiences and it is quite impressive to think that in some European countries, in the space of a decade, generations previously completely closed to new information technologies (such as computing) have quickly become proficient in using computers. Society is on the lookout for new tastes and new learning experiences.
_
_ The third key-trend: Connectivity. Seven or eight years ago, consumers were still not convinced about developments in new information technologies (for instance the Internet). But the desire to keep in touch, via mobile phones or the Internet, is likely to become a fundamental motivation for consumers and customers over coming years.
_
_ Fourth and final key-trend, not necessarily a positive one: The striving for an “individual style”, or the growth of individualism. Although this may not be seen as being good news, it is the reality. People focus on themselves first and foremost and are becoming increasingly individualistic. Some would go so far as to describe them as egotists.
_
_
– {{The rise of emotions}}
_
_ People are looking for emotions, explaining the universal appeal of major theme parks or large-scale media and sporting events. One of France’s great writers, André Malraux, once said: “The 21st century will be religious or it will not be”.
The 21st century will probably not be religious, but above all emotional. Consumers are going to attend major events because they want emotion. Because within a society in which it is no longer possible to externalize one’s emotions, major events and major spectacles are the only places left where the individual can shout, sing and sometimes even cast insults in more or less complete freedom.
_
_
{{{What is Value? Price? Quality?}}}
_
_ Given these key changes in the economic environment, we need to try and provide a definition for certain concepts.
_
_
– {{What is the value of a product, a trademark, a brand or a company?}}
_
_ It is a sum. It is a sum of tangible values and intangible characteristics (service, brand image, brand awareness, etc.). The power of a brand is created through a coherent synthesis of these two concepts. Some luxury brands are exceptionally coherent because they produce extremely high quality tangible products combined with an outstanding image. These companies therefore make large profits. Other brands selling products of a mediocre quality with a popular brand image are also very coherent and extremely efficient. They also make a great deal of money. Coherence is an important concept for the value of a brand or a company. There is an overall coherence between the price, the tangible and intrinsic quality of the product and the intangible values (image, accessibility, what is known as selectivity).
In the end, the value of a brand or a product is determined by what the consumer is prepared to pay.
_
_
– {{What is quality? How can we understand the quality/price ratio?}}
_
_ The Japanese taught us something fundamental concerning the quality of a product. For many decades European and American companies believed that quality for a product took the form of conformity with a number of established standards, whether industrial or even based on the customs and practices of their personnel. This opinion has now been completely overturned and the Japanese proved to us that the quality of a company, a brand or a product, is in actual fact the overall ability of the company to satisfy the needs of the consumer. This means that it is necessary to constantly improve the quality of the product. Quality here does not have any relationship with a norm or standard. Of course there must be standards. These however are of no concern to the consumer. This need to satisfy the consumer can be explicit (opinion polls, marketing surveys, etc.) or implicit, which is much more challenging. Implicitly, these needs are those that consumer is unable to formulate him/herself. It is what the company offers that brings out the customer’s nameless need.

Why is it that people capable of gauging the quality of a product are prepared to spend almost 200 euros for a Hermès tie? You can buy a tie for €10 in any Carrefour supermarket. This applies equally for lipsticks, handbags, suits, etc. Why buy such expensive products? Drawing on the analyses carried out concerning the luxury sector, there are three answers to this question: It is all about quality, image and price.
_
_ The first notion: Luxury equals better quality. Some companies (or brands) sell products of exceptional quality but are not considered as being luxury brands! There are also some brands that are very expensive, describing themselves as being luxury brands, but which are not of a very high quality… The word quality here is thus very confusing.
_
_ Second notion: Image. Some brands spend a great deal on advertising, on increasing brand awareness or reputation and have created such a strong quality image that they are able to sell their products for high prices… However Coca-Cola has an incomparable image but it is not a luxury product and thus image is not enough in itself.
_
_ Final notion: Price. Price in itself does not provide an answer to the question. For instance, despite the fact that a Clio car costs €11,000, it is not automatically a luxury product, whereas a Chanel lipstick at €16 is in fact a luxury product.
_
_
– {{Definition of luxury}}
_
_ A luxury brand is characterised by five fundamentals that make the consumer want to buy a product for a higher price although it is in reality not very different from the others.
_
_ {{Expertise}}
_ It is better to talk of expertise rather than quality. We do not know whether an “Armani” brand suit is a quality suit. We do however know that Giorgio Armani is an expert. He is a professional designer and creator of many suits. “Hermès” handbags are relatively expensive, but what we can be sure of is that this brand is an expert in the field of leather and silk.
_
_ {{Proximity}}
_ This is an extremely important criteria. Through time, experience and investment luxury brands have managed to create a concept of proximity among their customers. Customers in luxury brand shops are treated differently. They are sometimes offered additional gifts, they are made to feel welcome in the shop. Proximity is built over time.
_
_ {{Selectivity (or control) over retail distribution}}
_ The “Hermès” brand has some 200 shops around the world. The “Chanel” brand has just under 10,000 sales outlets in Europe. This company is also under intense pressure to expand its sales network. It should be remembered that it is the brand that is responsible for the selectivity of the outlet, and not the contrary.
_
_ {{A perspective on the world}}
_ Luxury brands and the top performing companies have achieved a real perspective on their field, as well as on the world. In order to be considered as a “luxury brand”, a brand must have an original and distinctive perspective on the world, a vision that it imposes and develops over time, but to which it remains faithful.
_
_ {{Luxury brands sell emotion}}
_ Luxury brands “sell dreams”… In a factory outlet, they sell cosmetics. In a perfume shop, they sell aspirations. These brands and companies have managed to convert their role from that of a manufacturer into that of a seller of emotion.
_
_
{{{How do we increase our market share, number of customers and added value?}}}
_
_ Economic competition is not actually war, but we need to take note of what we can be learnt from politicians and military men from major wars. There are four ways of fighting wars: The first takes place in the same place and with the same weapons as the enemy. The second takes place in the same place, but the weapons are different. The third takes place in a different location but with the same weapons as the enemy. As for the fourth, this takes place in different locations, with different weapons.

_ {{The first way}} to wage war would refer to the battle of Verdun. This battle cost 700,000 lives. The danger for civilisation was maximum and the danger for the commander minimum.
_ {{The second way}} concerns guerrilla warfare. To quote from “The Little Red Book” of Mao Zedong: “When the enemy advances, we withdraw; when the enemy stops, we harass them; when the enemy withdraws, we chase them”.
_ {{The third way}} : In another location with the same weapons as the enemy would relate to “D-Day”, the day of the landings. Rather than land one’s forces where the enemy is expecting, one opts for the most difficult cliffs.
_ Finally, {{the forth way}} to wage war is exemplified by Aqaba. This was a port on the Red Sea, securing the Arabian Peninsula and defended with artillery, and taken by Lawrence of Arabia. The danger for civilisation is least, whilst the danger for the leaders is greatest.

This means one has to use the economic “Aqaba” approach. A frontal assault, in the same location with the same weapons represents price war. If a company values its products at the same price as the competition, the winner will clearly be the one to lower its prices first. The added value represents war in the same place but with different weapons. This added value gives rise to additional functionalities in an additional product or additional services. As for the third method, in a different place with similar weapons, this is the approach developed by the luxury product sector, creating their own markets in different places.
However doing an “Aqaba” in economic terms means having an enduring competitive advantage, and the use of meaningful techniques of differentiation in locations where they are not expected. To succeed, this is the technique that must be applied.
_
_
– {{« Being SMAC »}}
_
_ There is a concept known as “Being SMAC”. “S” for “Specific”, this is the need to be different from other companies. “M” for “Measurable”, because innovation is only successful if it can be measured by the consumer. “A” for “Accessible”, in particular in terms of prices. Innovating whilst remaining within the competitive price ranges is a complicated task. “C” for “Coherent”, because there is an essential coherence between the product sold by the company, its price and the intangible qualities relating to the sale made.

But how does one increase added value? The answer to this consists of seven points. Firstly, it is necessary to have an original perspective on one’s sector and on the world. Secondly: One must act quickly. World economic growth is accelerating and the companies that can succeed in the context of this expansion are those able to very quickly adapt and change their commercial strategies and tactics. Thirdly: Open-mindedness. It has never been more important to understand the market and understand consumer needs. Fourthly: Market stimulation. Markets in decline need to be revitalized, for instance like that of the cinema. Cinema attendance in Europe has now been on the rise for three years, despite the fact that ten years ago it looked as though there would be no future for the cinema market, essentially because of the development of the DVD and the Internet. Fifthly: break the mould. The mould needs to be broken in order to generate the sixth point acknowledged for increasing added value: Surprise. Customers must be surprised by original actions and promotions. The seventh and final point: One needs to become a seller of emotions, regardless of the business area.
_
_
– {{Conclusion}}
_
_ The focus must be on understanding the market, understanding the explicit and implicit needs of consumers, and above all on differentiation from competitors and rivals. It is also necessary to create, within work teams, a “mission for the department”. This mission is extremely important and must apply to the entire management chain. If one gives people an official function, they become officials. If one makes use of bonuses for these same people, they become bonus hunters. But if one gives them a mission, they become missionaries. And it was the missionaries who conquered the world. Everyone right through the company needs to be trained.

Economic competition is demanding and fierce. In a liberal capitalist economy such as we live in today, a President or a CEO will always have greater impact on the turnover of his/her company and its added value than will have a shop floor worker or a secretary. This is the reality of today’s world. However, the CEO, the shop floor worker, the secretary and the customer all have the same right to respect. We must respect companies, workers, and above all customers. Because, if we cannot respect others, we cannot respect ourselves.
_
{{{Questions}}}

{{Olivier DAUVERS}},
_ {Editor in chief « La Tribune Grande Conso »}


_ In your conclusion, you spoke about respect for customers. I am thinking about Steve Jobs, CEO of “Apple”, whose latest innovation (iPhone) has already dropped $200, which is a loss of around 33% after just three months on the market. I am therefore wondering whether Steve Jobs, specifically in this, is in the wrong?



{{Philippe VILLEMUS}}
_ I don’t know the details involved here and I am always sceptical of information one reads in the press. However, if he really has behaved in this way, it does in fact show a lack of respect for the customer. But beyond the issue of disrespect, I would describe this way of behaving as placing more importance on the very short term against managing for the very long term. At the moment, the debate between the short term and the long term is one of extreme relevance.
When I talk about the need to consider the company in the very long term, I am reminded that deadlines are set for the following quarter. It is obvious that there can be no long term vision if we don’t make money in the short term. However some companies earn a great deal of money in the short term and, because they lack long term vision, do not invest effectively. This therefore applies in both senses: We need to earn money in the short term, provided that we have a long term vision.



{{Olivier DAUVERS}}
_ You described the price as being one of the attributes of luxury brands. If you were in charge of “Hermès”, do you think it would be better to distribute your products through a factory outlet or to burn them?



{{Philippe VILLEMUS}}
_ That is a difficult question. But I think that I would not destock, at least initially.



{{Olivier DAUVERS}}
_ So, in general, is destocking a dangerous marketing strategy for brands?



{{Philippe VILLEMUS}}
_ Not always. Destocking takes place other than through factory outlets. Some luxury brands destock their products when the new ones come in. Some 25% of turnover is generated through the introduction of new products, which means that after 5 years, in some companies, the entire catalogue needs to be disposed of.



{{Olivier DAUVERS}}
_ You also talked about breaking the mould. If you had not had proven corporate experience, I would have labelled this as academic or utopian. But is not the striving to achieve this breaking of the mould still hugely utopian?



{{Philippe VILLEMUS}}
_ Breaking the mould is essential, I have no doubt. In macro-economic terms our continent is facing the increasing power of China and other emerging economies. European companies wanting to survive in today’s world have only two strategies available to them: They must break the mould with different and original products, or relocate to China. Otherwise they will not be able to withstand the falling prices resulting from Chinese production. Let’s take a concrete example: In about a year China will be ready to sell a car costing €1,500, compared with the average price for a car in Europe of €10,000.



{{Olivier DAUVERS}}
_ The issue of emotions is a major area of debate for the operators of brand villages. Is it right to attract customers into these brand villages for anything other that pure and simple shopping?



{{Philippe VILLEMUS}}
_ An emotion must be popular and accessible, whether positive or negative. This covers fear, hate and violence but also friendship, courage, team spirit, etc. As during sporting events. Thus emotion is not necessarily an investment in luxury. If one goes shopping at “LIDL”, for instance, this can generate a feeling of buying cheaply, of being rational, of understanding what being cost conscious is about… It is also, to say the least, odd that hard-discount emerged in Germany, Europe’s wealthiest country. However for some people, shopping in a “hard-discount” store is a way of standing up against the high cost of living.

{{{Exchanges with the floor}}}

{{From the floor}}
_ Do you think that eventually the Chinese economy will experience problems of management with the increases in the hourly-rate?

{{Philippe VILLEMUS}}
_ Not in the next thirty years. I am going to seem provocative to some, but I have to be because China is not a country like any other. If it was, you would be right.
Unfortunately for us, China is a very different country to our own, and for two reasons. First of all, one sixth of humankind lives in China. Secondly, China has a virtually unlimited reservoir of low cost population and labour. There are however in reality three Chinas.
_ Firstly : Oriental China. This is the one we visit on business trips, extending from the west of North Korea to Taiwan. It includes many cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Canton. This is a coastal China that is becoming very wealthy. It has a population of 200 million, but the average standard of living is lower than that in Europe.
_ Secondly : The rest of the industrial China created by Mao Zedong, from where the workforce needed for the factories in coastal China is recruited. There are almost 800 million people here, earning less than $2 a day.
_ And finally: Third world China. This is an often Islamic China, where westerners never go, that could be a source of civil unrest as well as a huge reservoir of labour. China is not a democratic country and it has only been a few months since Chinese people have had the right to extend their visas when they want to travel.
_ People in China do not in reality have any right of free movement between provinces. Large companies operating in partnership with China sometimes go to various villages, insisting that the people get on a bus to be taken to a factory located in the coastal region, where they work for a period of up to six months. The workers must sleep at their place of work. They are occasionally taken back to their villages and, if this is not the case, as these people do not have visas, they become homeless.

{{{Conclusion}}}

{{Olivier DAUVERS}}
_ To conclude, I would like to offer a quote from Edouard Leclerc, who said, in 1958: “Low prices are needed by the poor and loved by the rich”.

At the end of may 2008, there were about 20 projects to set up in France concerning a sales area of around 226.000 sqm.

{{{ {{Factory outlet centres in project in France
(May 2009)}} }}}

|{{ Authorized projects (green)}}|
|{{Rejected projects (red) )}}|
|{{ Projects being studied (grey)}}|
|{{ Projects abandoned (black)}}|

For more information, you can contact us by e-mail:[->accueil@magdus.com]

Speech by {{Guillaume Erner}},
_ {Doctor in sociology}

One of the subjects studied by sociologists is that of illogical population groups, whose behaviour is irrational. In their attempt to understand these not always rational consumers, sociologists examine the society in which the consumer lives.

We can take a look at examples of two types of customers; the first, a courtesan living at Court three centuries ago, and the second, a Desperate Housewife, a customer who in today’s society tends to be courted. This second customer type stems from the vast middle classes and lives in a society where luxury and consumption have become commonplace.
The courtesan’s aim was to expend all the assets she owned, and in exchange, she belonged to the king, whereas modern women spend their assets with reason and intelligence.

The contemporary consumer is an ecologist, he has a moral conscience, he is a non-smoker; he wants to be different from the others, be his own person, and of course, he is not materialistic! He nevertheless buys cheap goods from China, acquires products that are obsolete within six months and, being receptive to marketing, he is able to live quite easily with his desire to be different alongside his desire to belong. A paradoxical man!

Traditional society is a cast-society (profession, religion, etc). The law is imposed from the outside and people die at the same station in life as they were born.
In modern society, we are free. However, we must be able to be equal to this freedom. The most important of our life-stories now relate to our family, and above all, to the goods we consume. In effect, it is the objects that we buy that establish the identify of the consumer.

Property prices and the cost of transport, in particular, have led to a general reduction in consumer goods budgets. This means that the consumer hates forced spending and seeks out strategies to reduce such expenses, by shopping in factory outlets, for example.
Luxury goods, once the reserve of the elite, have now become everyone’s right, which means that now everyone has access to the consumer society.
So, if, for some reason, we are prevented from having this access, we are frustrated. It can be noted that whenever a new product is released, there is a peak in expenditure (for example, the need to have a flat screen). So we see that there are consumer modes that are entirely cyclic.

If we compare middle class incomes in France, Europe and in the United States, we see that the mix is not the same. In some systems, the poor population is more numerous (Anglo-Saxon countries). In Europe, as in the United States, the middle classes are better off. Consumer profiles in these countries are extremely varied. Inundated by advertising, people are persuaded that they have to consume.
Therefore to deal with the « astute » consumer, we have to acquire  » consumer skills ».

The consumer has become an expert in terms of prices. This universally widespread « calculation skill » goes hand-in-hand with the fear of being « stung ».
The consumer therefore tends to buy during the sales, because by spending less money on an article, he thinks he is combating a system he believes to be robbing him. This idea of a the distributor/manufacturer plotting against the consumer is referred to in « the Hidden Persuader », a book written by Vance Packard.

Today, shopping has become the number-one leisure activity, boosted by the emergence of new information sources (blogs, forums, etc.). Sixty to seventy percent of consumers now do research on Internet before buying and Web-information is perceived as being legitimate and credible. This extremely detailed information (operation, price, etc.), works in concert with changing consumer behaviour. Information is shared on consumer websites, which means that the modern consumer has a knowledge of the market that a journalist would scarcely have time to acquire.

Even better than word-of-mouth, this system is relies on the fact that the internaut believes what unknown persons on the web have to say. The « six-degrees of separation » rule (the ability to reach at least one out of six persons) is changing due to our increasingly fast communication channels, in particular the Internet. Today the degree of separation is 3.5. We can observe, therefore, that patterns of influence have changed. It is the system to which we belong, rather than methods of operation, that defines the degree of influence.

The consumer is moving towards more rational and status-enhancing spending. No matter what his social class, the consumer has to demonstrate his status. Status-symbol brands must have a strategy based on pricing. In effect, although the consumer has become more skilful, the product brand can change the deal, or at least, the price that we thought we would be willing to pay. The consumer consciously provides specific product information (financial calculation), but he also unwittingly passes on information on a product.

In a normal economy, prices play a psychological role (1.99 € is a loss-leader price) and a price increase is often considered to be a pledge of quality. On the other hand, when there are special offers, the consumer sees that he can get a bargain, and it more difficult to find the right price strategy in this case.

It is necessary to restrict routines, stop thinking according to type, place the consumer in a state of cognitive uncertainty. As the consumer is well informed, we have to try and defeat him, for example, by confronting him with different types of price and ranges. He will conclude that the least expensive goods are offered in the supermarket.

There exists a sort of battle between manufacturers/distributors and the consumer. Today, it is the consumer who sets the rules. Given the vast middle class category and the advent of cheaper production, there is a mechanical market effect, whereby it is now very difficult to maintain income. Moreover, the alliance between consumerism and anti-capitalism is increasingly influential For example, the consumer magazine, « 60 Millions de Consommateurs », does not encourage us to eat less, but to eat more cheaply.

We are also witnessing a revolution in social patterns – the thirty-five-hour week system is leading to people having less rigid, more individual schedules, some sectors work on Sundays, etc. Our existence are no longer synchronised. In the Paris urban area, the traffic jams between six o’clock and ten o’ clock in the morning prove that there is no single and unique life-mode for everyone. New services are being established to cope with consumer impatience and intolerance (he wants to be served increasingly quickly) and to offer more flexibility. Current consumer requirements are leading to an increase in the place attributed too discount and the bottom of the range.

We are also confronted with changes in relation to age. Very frequently, young people’s expectations are just as high as their seniors’ (with respect to their private lives, the world of fashion etc.). There is also a pathological spending phenomenon affecting « happy victims », that is, people who decide to buy a specific brand only (for example, the all-Chanel woman). This type of fetishism epitomises new compulsive shopping pathologies.

In short, we have to buy cheaper products, because we want everything.

Japan has a particularly high proportion of fashion victims; some women spend 80 % of their budget on designer or luxury brands – a sort of latter-day wishful-thinking.

Changing consumer trends make it more and more difficult to establish market segments. Classifying the population in order to predict consumer activity often no longer reveals actual consumer spending. We have to work on different forms of logic to understand the new market breakdown.

{{{Behavioural analysis is based on two opposing rationales:}}}

– {{the Winner Takes All rationale}}
The market is filled with a small number of references which make up the majority of sales. For example, the 200 million books sold in the last 3 years were written by only four authors (including the author of Harry Potter). This is Fordist capitalism with which we are familiar. This system is not likely to endure today, due to the long tail effect; with Internet, the sum of minor references placed end-to-end may collectively exceed most popular product sales. We can, therefore earn money with small references, which brings us outside the unique model (clothing, disks, etc.). But the « Winner takes all » syndrome is still working well in a certain number of markets. The term refers to the effective differential between the leader and the other players. In an economy where all risk-taking is becoming increasingly dangerous, the « winner takes it all » rationale enables a single reference to go full speed ahead.

– {{the unknown new product rationale}}
Twenty-two percent of titles sold by Rapsody (on-line music sales) are unknown. It can also be observed, that thanks to Internet, there are more and more unheard of films for hire. Revolutionary systems are being implemented, like at Amazon, where they have set up collaborative filtering, an extremely sophisticated algorithm to highlight the books we are likely to appreciate, as a function of another book we have liked. So Amazon quite simply is replacing the standard bookshop – the shop no longer presents any advantage over the machine. This Internet advice is proving to be relevant, as 35% is converted into a sale at Amazon. This service allows readers to discover new products. Customers themselves are thus creating the market segments. In the book world, we can observe that the titles are radically diverse within the same consumer segment. It is hard to imagine that an individual would, personally, select all these books – IT plus consumer opinion have produced this map and grouped these products together.
The phenomenon is very powerful – once a purchase has been made, another potential purchase is presented as a logical follow-on.

In this era, we are also witnessing a new moral attitude to of capitalism; the consumer requires to be informed of the ethical and moral nature of goods sold. The most telling transformation is Microsoft’s – a company that in the past had not been well perceived, it changed its identity by investing in philanthropic causes. Not only did it regain its brand image (external interest), but it also became attractive as an employer. In California, it is much easier to employ IT specialists if the company is considered to be ethical than if it has a poor brand image.

Trends are now being extended to all fields – fashion clothing still is very important, but household spending on clothing is constantly going down (4 % in France). The real innovation today is that fashion now extends to other fields such as the choice of first names, or cuisine, for example. Today, a first name only remains in the « hit parade » for a maximum of two or three years. Elite dishes, once proposed only in certain restaurants are now available in a variety of different types of restaurants, and even on supermarket shelves. The famous « moelleux au chocolat » dessert created by Michel Bras at Laguiole can now be found in the freezers at Picard.

The democratisation of fashion, or rolling out fashion vertically, is taking place at an ever-increasing pace. In the automotive sphere, although the Twingo stayed in fashion for the relatively long period of 10 years, the Renault 21 and the Laguna have a much shorter life-span.

In turn, income mechanisms and market-installation methods are also faster. The consumer loses his enthusiasm easily and becomes disinterested. The success of a brand-name, for example, Zara, is quite simply due to the fact that this retail group decided to ignore the concepts of market segmentation and traditional marketing. It just controls the logistics and the supply chain and the rest follows – it is the consumer himself who is now the channel in relation to trends and marketing.
In conclusion, brand-names have a « sacred » dimension. A simple tee-shirt does not have the same value as one that bears a little crocodile. This mythology is very difficult to perceive. Individuals need to be recognised, notably via what they buy (for example, buying a 4×4 makes us adventurers). So we find ourselves in a waking dream, on a small or a grand scale.

{{{Discussions}}}

{{Olivier DAUVERS}},
_ {Editor in chief « La Tribune Grande Conso »}


_ What I would like to say in particular is that spending has become a professional activity and that the consumer must acquire skills so that he does not make unintelligent consumer choices.
Is the link between brand names and the consumer becoming stronger or is it slackening? I am fascinated to see that in the food industry, the link between consumer and brand is becoming weaker at an astounding rate.



{{Guillaume ERNER}}
_ People today do not like constraints. Consumers are not attached to brand-names, although there are a few nuances here (they give more importance to water, olive oil, etc) If the consumer has the choice between two products, he will opt for the least expensive because he does not like forced spending, except for a product in which he invests a part of himself. A manufacturer’s marketing aim is to persuade the consumer that his product is part of his identity.



{{Olivier DAUVERS}}
_ Is the dividing line between products that are brand image-sensitive or insensitive the utilitarian aspect of the purchase?



{{Guillaume ERNER}}
_ Yes, for goods they are obliged to buy, consumers may « stray off the path ». For example, people who buy a Logan are making a purchase based on utilitarian values. However, someone who chooses a Porsche Cayenne has a different idea of what a vehicle means for them.



{{Olivier DAUVERS}}
_ Is it not easier for the world of fashion and clothing apparel to maintain the attraction or magic of certain brands?



{{Guillaume ERNER}}
_ Indeed, it is virtually absolute.



{{Olivier DAUVERS}}
_ In conclusion, the commercial approach, rather than economic, is first and foremost an issue of society. If society moves in one direction, does trade have to follow?



{{Guillaume ERNER}}
_ In my opinion, it is difficult to go against the flow.



{{Olivier DAUVERS}}
_ Is society open enough for such a change?



{{Guillaume ERNER}}
_ French society is one of the less open societies, but in the majority it is open.



{{Olivier DAUVERS}}
_ Our lifestyles have changed, it is true, but from ten o’ clock onwards the Paris inner ring road is free-flowing. Is it not more of an extension of our lifestyle range than a radical change? Our lives are still structured around major markers.



{{Guillaume ERNER}}
_ If you leave the Paris ring road and go to a sector that is open on a Sunday, you will find that people are there.



{{Olivier DAUVERS}}
_ Is the societal issue about to be resolved, as society is moving faster than legislation?



{{Guillaume ERNER}}
_ Sunday opening would have a certain number of consequences on society. However, this seems to me to be the way things are going and (coincides with) the will of the population.



{{From the floor}} ({Jean-Yves VERIAU – SEB Group})
_ Are not the segments measured by different operators complementary, rather than in competition, in terms of defining the so-called paradoxical consumer? Is it not the Web that will be the real competitor in the future? How do we respond?



{{Guillaume ERNER}}
_ Yes, I think that the Web is a real competitor, because of the effect of blogging, forums etc., and the unprecedented type of information that can be found on-line. In addition, the Web is capable of selling everything. So it is a major challenge for the years to come.



{{Olivier DAUVERS}}
_ Do there are no products that are « impermeable »; it is just an issue of logistics that will be raised to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the product categories.

Le développement des centres de magasins d’usine, puis des villages de
marques, est un phénomène qui date d’une vingtaine d’années. Ces centres commerciaux d’un nouveau type, qui promettent à leurs clients de faire de “bonnes affaires”, ont une force d’attraction suffisamment grande pour devenir des motifs de courts séjours, ainsi qu’en atteste le succès de Troyes. Progressivement, ces lieux marchands renforcent leurs dimensions festive et ludique.

{{Source}} : Didier Moret, expert CCI de Troyes et de l’Aube. Article publié dans la revue « Etudes foncières » n°138, mars-avril 2009.

{{Lire l’intégralité de l’article}}:

{{{« Meilleure traduction du concept »}}}
Ce trophée visait à récompenser la traduction la plus remarquable du concept de centres de marques en Europe. La sélection de centres quia été est proposée ci-après avait intégré les critères suivants : le parti pris architectural, le choix des matériaux, les particularités de l’offre commerciale déployée, les services et équipements proposés…

Nominés 2005
Catégorie « Meilleure traduction du concept »


{{{Marques Avenue Côte d’Opale}}}
{{Coquelles – France
_ Concepts et Distribution}}

Plus d’informations / More information :
_ [->www.marquesavenue.com/cote_d_opale/index.asp]

—-

{{{Batavia Stad Outlet Shopping}}}
{{Lelystad – Hollande
_ Rodamco}}

Plus d’informations / More information :
_ [->www.bataviastad.nl]

—-

{{{Dalton Park Murton}}}
{{Durham – Angleterre
_ ING / Pantheon Retail}}

Plus d’informations / More information :
_ [->www.dalton-park.co.uk]

—-

{{{Freeport Lisbon}}}
{{Alcochete – Portugal
_ Freeport Designer Outlet}}

Plus d’informations / More information :
_ [->www.freeport.pt]

—-

{{{La Vallée Village}}}
{{Marne-la-Vallée – France
_ Value Retail}}

Plus d’informations / More information :
_ [->www.lavalleevillage.com]

—-

{{{Factory}}}
{{Getafe Madrid – Espagne
_ Neinver}}

Plus d’informations / More information :
_ [->www.factory.es]

—-

{{{McArthurGlen Castel Romano}}}
{{Rome – Italie
_ McArthurGlen}}

Plus d’informations / More information :
_ [->http://castelromano.mcarthurglen.it]

—-

{{{Campera Outlet Shopping}}}
{{Alenquer – Portugal
_ Mercasa}}

Plus d’informations / More information :
_ [->www.campera.com]

—-


{{{« Meilleure dynamique de marque »}}}

Ce trophée visait à récompenser le dynamisme d’une grande marque présente dans un centre en Europe. La sélection de marques qui a été proposée ci-après avait intégré les critères suivants : qualité de l’implantation dans le centre, actions d’animation commerciale, implication dans l’animation du centre, attractivité pour le centre, performances commerciales,…

Nominés 2005
Meilleure dynamique de marque

|Adidas|Hugo Boss|Nike|Polo Ralph Lauren|
|Burberry|Lacoste|Oasis|Puma|
|Catimini|Lancel|O’Neill|Reebok|
|Chapelle|Levi’s|Petit Bateau|Quicksilver|
|Gérard Darel|Mc Gregor|Pierre Cardin|Versace|

—-


{{{« Meilleure action de promotion »}}}

Ce trophée visait à récompenser la meilleure action d’animation commerciale ou de promotion d’un centre. La liste qui a été proposée ci-après etait issue d’informations portées directement à notre connaissance par les centres concernés, suite à un questionnaire à tous les centres existants en Europe.

Nominés 2005
Meilleure action de promotion

{{{Opération Fun Shopping Bus}}}
{{(Marques Avenue, France)}}

Voyages VIP à destination de 5 centres Marques Avenue, offerts sur réservations sur le site internet (1 navette gratuite chaque premier samedi des mois de mai et juin, et de septembre à décembre) : trajet aller-retour en bus avec collation, accueil personnalisé au départ par une hôtesse et à l’arrivée par le directeur du centre, kit de tourisme, découverte du centre et shopping-party libre. Départs de Paris pour les centres de St-Denis et Troyes, de Lille pour le centre Côte d’Opale, de Grenoble pour le centre de Romans, et de Strasbourg pour le centre de Talange. Au total, 1500 personnes transportées, et de très nombreuses retombées presse au plan national.

—-

{{{VIP evening events}}}
{{(Batavia Stad Outlet Shopping, Netherlands)}}

Des soirées exceptionnelles VIP sont organisées deux fois par an dans le cadre d’une approche marketing très ciblée (soirées réservées aux visiteurs fréquents du centre, aux membres abonnés à la newsletter électronique et aux clients de la base de données propre au centre). Excellent taux de conversion invitation-visite et mieux encore, excellents taux de conversion visite-achat. Tous les magasins restent ouverts lors de ces soirées VIP.

—-

{{{Monthly international concerts}}}
{{(Freeport Lisbon)}}

L’offre commerces et loisirs du centre Freeport de Lisbonne étant particulièrement diversifiée, l’objectif de la programmation commerciale était de créer un lieu de consommation pour toute la famille, en journée comme en soirée. Un exemple de ce programme : l’organisation, tous les mois, de concerts d’artistes internationaux tels que les Sugarbabes et Ronan Keating, Tom Jones, Alice Cooper ou encore la troupe Spirit of the Dance. Originalité de ces évènements : les concerts sont entièrement gratuits pour les clients du Freeport et attirent de nombreux consommateurs qui deviennent alors des acheteurs réguliers. Ce concept de marketing novateur satisfait les besoins en constante évolution des consommateurs.

—-

{{{Brand Blitz super sale}}}
{{(Dalton Park, England)}}

En collaboration avec les gérants de magasins, le centre a identifié les cinq meilleures semaines de l’année, celles où la majeure partie des commerces organisent leurs soldes. Une identité de marque a vu le jour afin d’encadrer ces soldes de magasins et de permettre au centre d’en tirer le meilleur parti commercial et les plus grandes retombées médiatiques (points de vente, télévision et radio). Résultats : nombre de visiteurs en hausse de 15% (200 000), augmentation de 20% du panier par tête (+ 4 euros par personne) et chiffre d’affaires en hausse de 38% par rapport à l’année précédente.

—-

{{{Soldes-sur-Mer}}}
{{(McArthurGlen Roubaix, France)}}

A l’occasion des soldes d’été 2004, le centre McArthurGlen de Roubaix a organisé une ambiance fête et plage : tournoi de beach-volley organisé par la Ligue des Flandres de Volley-Ball, draps de plage, bouées et palmiers en décoration sur toute la longueur du centre, colliers de fleurs hawaïens pour toutes les équipes de vente, sons de mouette et de flux et reflux de marée sur la radio interne du centre, groupe de musique aux couleurs de Tahiti. Très grande satisfaction des clients et des équipes des magasins, nombreuses retombées presse.

—-

{{{Shopping VIP}}}
{{(McArthurGlen Troyes, France)}}

Une journée de mai, chaque véhicule entrant sur le parking a reçu une carte à gratter. Parmi ces cartes, 110 étaient gagnantes : 100 gagnaient un chéquier de coupons de réduction, et 10 gagnaient une journée de shopping VIP. Ce privilège se composait de 500 € de chèques cadeaux à dépenser dans la journée, de la mise à disposition d’un groom pour porter les paquets, d’un véhicule avec chauffeur pour parcourir le centre, et d’un photographe pour saisir les meilleurs instants de la journée.

{{LA REGLEMENTATION EUROPEENNE EN MATIERE DE PROMOTIONS DES VENTES PAR LES PRIX}}

{Par Sarah Temple-Boyer, Avocat
Et Sylvia Spalter, Avocat Associé
Association d’avocats BMS’- Paris
[->www.bms-avocats.com]}

{{1- Divergences de réglementations entre les Etats membres}}

La promotion des ventes par les prix recouvre des modalités aussi diverses que les soldes, les rabais, les cadeaux, voire les ventes dites « {à perte} ». L’analyse comparative du traitement de ces pratiques par les Etats membres révèle de grandes disparités.

a) Analyse comparative¹

• Soldes saisonniers : Trois grands courants se dessinent, avec une tendance marquée pour un libéralisme accru :

– ainsi, certains Etats membres (Belgique, Allemagne) n’autorisent les soldes que pendant des périodes définies par le législateur central et pour tout le territoire : en Belgique, des périodes spécifiques (en janvier et en juillet) sont règlementairement fixées pour certains produits (habillement, cuir et chaussures) – alors qu’en Allemagne, les soldes assimilés à des ventes exceptionnelles sont interdits, sauf dans certains cas ( soldes d’hiver et d’été de produits de sport et ventes d’anniversaire après 25 ans d’activité).
– d’autres Etats (France, Italie, Espagne) délèguent aux autorités locales la fixation des périodes de soldes saisonniers : dans ce cadre, les soldes sont autorisés pour une période déterminée (par exemple, en Espagne, entre une semaine minimum et deux mois maximum) – mais c’est l’autorité locale qui déterminera la durée applicable dans la région concernée ;
– enfin, d’autres Etats membres (Finlande, Suède, Pays-Bas et Royaume-Uni) ne connaissent aucune législation restrictive : aux Pays-Bas, la législation sur les soldes a été supprimée dans les années 1980 (le contrôle étant exercé indirectement par la réglementation sur la publicité trompeuse). Au Royaume-Uni, les évènements promotionnels comme les soldes ne sont pas encadrés, la seule obligation étant d’indiquer sur les produits soldés, les prix pratiqués antérieurement aux soldes (lesquels prix doivent avoir été pratiqués au moins 28 jours durant les six mois précédant les soldes).

• Rabais : la position de la plupart des Etats membres est, en ce domaine, plutôt libérale. Un certain nombre d’Etats n’ont pas de réglementation restrictive, ou ont récemment supprimé la réglementation existante ; c’est le cas de l’Autriche (abrogation de la loi en 1992), l’Allemagne, l’Italie, l’Espagne et les Pays-Bas.
En revanche, certains Etats (Belgique, Finlande, France, Suède) ont fixé des obligations spécifiques de transparence : par exemple, en Belgique, le vendeur doit se référer aux prix pratiqués pour des produits identiques avant l’offre spéciale (ces prix doivent avoir été pratiqués pendant au moins une année avant la réduction).

• Cadeaux « gratuits » : à l’inverse des soldes et des rabais, la position de la plupart des Etats membres est, en cette matière, plutôt rigoureuse. Les Etats les plus libéraux sont l’Italie, les Pays-Bas et l’Allemagne, pays dans lesquels les cadeaux promotionnels sont, en principe, autorisés (sous réserve de respecter certaines obligations de transparence quant à l’indication du prix unitaire de chaque produit dès lors que sa valeur excède 10 euros, comme en Finlande par exemple). Dans d’autres Etats, en revanche, la règle est inversée : les cadeaux promotionnels liés à la conclusion d’un contrat (offres conjointes) sont en principe interdits (Autriche, Belgique, France, Espagne) sauf cas particuliers (échantillons, cadeaux ne représentant que 5% de la valeur du produit autorisés en Belgique etc…). A l’exception de l’Espagne, les cadeaux promotionnels sans obligation d’achat sont, généralement, admis (la loi espagnole considère que même sans obligation d’achat, le cadeau gratuit peut pousser le consommateur, animé par un sentiment de gratitude, à contracter). Au Royaume-Uni, ces évènements promotionnels sont encadrés par des règles d’autodiscipline.

• Ventes à perte : deux tendances majeures se dégagent :

– celle incarnée par différents Etats membres, comme la Belgique, la France, l’Italie, l’Espagne où le principe même de la vente à perte est prohibé (sauf dérogations spécifiques : ventes liquidatives ou de produits endommagés). Le dispositif légal tel qu’il est encore en vigueur en Belgique et en France illustre tout particulièrement le caractère général de la règle tout en le circonscrivant aux seuls « produits » ; ainsi les prestations de service ne sont pas concernées, sous réserve cependant que la vente de prestations à perte ne puisse être requalifiée comme constitutive d’un acte de concurrence déloyale.

– l’autre approche est incarnée par l’Autriche, l’Allemagne, la Finlande, la Suède, les Pays-Bas et le Royaume-Uni, lesquels ne connaissent pas de réglementation spécifique prohibant la vente à perte. Seule est sanctionnée la vente à perte qui est la manifestation d’un abus de position dominante (prix prédateurs) ou d’une pratique déloyale (si la vente à perte a pour seul objectif d’éliminer un concurrent).

b) L’exemple français

• Soldes : définies par l’article L.310-3 du Code de commerce comme « les ventes accompagnées ou précédées de publicité et annoncées comme tendant, par une réduction de prix, à l’écoulement accéléré de marchandises en stock ». Les soldes ne peuvent être réalisées en France qu’au cours de deux périodes par année civile, d’une durée maximale de six semaines chacune. Ces périodes sont déterminées par arrêté préfectoral, pris après consultation des organisations professionnelles concernées et représentées dans le département. Les soldes ne peuvent porter que sur des marchandises proposées à la vente et payées depuis au moins un mois avant le début de la période des soldes considérée. L’utilisation abusive du terme de « soldes » est punie d’une amende de 15.000 euros (article L.310-5 du Code de commerce).

• Rabais : les rabais étant licites par nature, les principales obligations, en France, en matière de rabais ont trait à l’obligation d’information transparente des réductions de prix au consommateur, laquelle est encadrée, en France, par un arrêté spécifique 77-105/P du 2 septembre 1977.

• cadeaux « gratuits » : les cadeaux promotionnels proposés conjointement à une vente ou une offre de produit destinées aux consommateurs (ventes avec primes) sont interdites par l’article L.121-35 du Code de la consommation ; cette interdiction ne s’appliquant toutefois pas aux produits qui sont identiques à l’objet principal de la vente, ou aux biens et services de faible valeur (échantillons) ; les cadeaux promotionnels sans obligation d’achat sont, donc, licites.

• ventes à perte : L’interdiction de revente à perte existe en France depuis 1963 et a été consacrée par la loi 96-588 du 1er juillet 1996 dite « loi Galland » ; est ainsi interdite la revente de « tout produit en l’état à un prix inférieur à son prix d’achat effectif ». L’interdiction de la revente à perte ayant été source de dérives importantes, notamment dans le secteur de la grande distribution, un consensus s’élève aujourd’hui pour réclamer l’abrogation de cette réglementation ou, à tout le moins, l’abaissement important du seuil de revente à perte. La commission ATTALI, dans son pré-rapport du 15 octobre 2007, milite en faveur de cette suppression, laquelle contribuerait, à son sens, à la baisse significative des prix des produits de grande consommation et reviendrait également à autoriser la pratique des soldes tout au long de l’année. Le 6 novembre 2007, la Commission des affaires économiques de l’Assemblée Nationale a entendu Luc Chatel, secrétaire d’Etat chargé de la consommation et du tourisme, sur le projet de loi relatif au développement de la concurrence au service des consommateurs (enregistré le 31 octobre 2007) lequel « ne reprend pas à son compte l’intégralité du rapport Attali, en particulier s’agissant de la mise en cause de l’interdiction de revente à perte ; pour autant, l’objectif de stimulation de la concurrence affiché par la commission est partagé par le projet de loi (…) ».

Aux termes du projet, l’incitation à la baisse des prix au consommateur voulue par le gouvernement passera notamment par la réintégration dans le prix de revente de la totalité des « marges arrières » versées par les fournisseurs aux distributeurs (« triple net »); étant précisé qu’un groupe de travail sous l’égide de Madame Marie-Dominique Hagelsteen (ancienne présidente du Conseil de la Concurrence) sera constitué pour réfléchir, au cours des prochains mois, aux conséquences de la suppression des marges arrières.

{{2- Projet d’harmonisation au niveau communautaire}}

– la proposition de règlement relatif aux promotions des ventes dans le marché intérieur (2001-2002)

Sur la base du travail d’un comité d’experts auquel était soumis l’examen des promotions de vente existant dans le marché intérieur² et susceptibles de générer éventuellement des restrictions à la libre circulation, une proposition de règlement du Parlement européen et du Conseil relatif aux promotions des ventes dans le marché intérieur a été adoptée en octobre 2001 puis présentée par la Commission, le 25 octobre 2002, dans sa dernière version modifiée³ ; l’harmonisation étant, par principe, facilitée par la voie du règlement communautaire, lequel est directement applicable dans l’ordre juridique des Etats membres, à la différence des Directives lesquelles requièrent une transposition nationale par voie législative avant d’être applicables.

Le Règlement, tel que proposé, avait pour objet d’établir «les règles relatives à l’utilisation et à la communication commerciales des promotions des ventes en vue d’assurer le bon fonctionnement du marché intérieur et un niveau élevé de protection des consommateurs ». Dans cette proposition de Règlement, l’intérêt des ventes promotionnelles était particulièrement mis en avant : « l’utilisation et la communication des promotions des ventes servent la croissance et le développement de toutes les entreprises de la Communauté. Ce sont des outils particulièrement importants pour les PME qui sont tributaires de ces pratiques disponibles en amont et en aval du développement de leurs activités transfrontalières. Ces promotions renforcent ainsi la compétitivité de l’économie européenne et, partant, permettent aux consommateurs de bénéficier d’un plus grand choix et de prix compétitifs ».

Toutefois, était également relevé un certain nombre d’obstacles juridiques et de barrières nuisant à l’exercice de la liberté d’établissement et de la libre prestation de services et résultant essentiellement de « la divergence des législations ainsi que de l’incertitude juridique quant aux régimes nationaux applicables à l’utilisation et la communication des promotions des ventes ».

Cette proposition de Règlement ne s’intéressait qu’aux offres promotionnelles, dites temporaires, à savoir : les rabais, cadeaux, primes, concours et jeux promotionnels… (par opposition aux réductions de prix à long terme, comme les cartes de fidélité)

Principales propositions d’harmonisation du Règlement :

• pour éviter les restrictions à la liberté d’établissement et de prestations de services, les Etats membres ne devaient plus édicter les mesures visant à :
– interdire de manière générale l’utilisation ou communication d’une promotion des ventes (à moins qu’elle soit imposée par le droit communautaire)
– limiter la valeur d’une promotion des ventes (à l’exception des rabais sur les produits à prix fixe et sur les ventes à perte)
– interdire des rabais précédant les soldes
– exiger une autorisation préalable en vue de l’utilisation ou la communication d’une promotion

• pour la protection des consommateurs, le Règlement imposait la fourniture par le promoteur d’une certain nombre d’informations générales et/ou propres à chaque type d’offre promotionnelle (rabais, coupons de réduction, cadeaux et primes…) cf. annexe du Règlement intitulée : « informations à fournir en ce qui concerne l’utilisation et la communication commerciale des promotions des ventes ».

– le retrait par la Commission de la proposition de Règlement relatif aux promotions des ventes (2005-2006)

Si la proposition de Règlement relatif aux promotions des ventes n’effectuait pas un travail d’harmonisation exhaustif, elle avait au moins le mérite d’exister. Or, suite à la Communication relative à l’examen des propositions législatives en instance qui a été publiée le 27 septembre 2005 , la Commission européenne a décidé de retirer cette proposition de Règlement, en même temps que 67 autres propositions .

La raison officielle de cet abandon serait stratégique ; la Commission ayant décidé de se consacrer à ses objectifs prioritaires que sont la croissance économique et la création d’emplois ; la proposition de Règlement sur les promotions des ventes (parmi tant d’autres) ne paraissant plus essentielle au regard de ce repositionnement de la Commission . Une raison plus officieuse tiendrait, suivant l’un de nos contacts auprès de la Commission, à l’impossibilité de trouver un consensus, au sein du Conseil des ministres, autour de cette proposition de Règlement ce qui aurait convaincu la Commission de l’abandonner…

Les projets d’harmonisation en matière de promotions des ventes sont aujourd’hui en suspens ; restent des Directives d’application générales qui viennent encadrer les ventes promotionnelles et surtout leur mode de communication au public, dans le souci principal de la protection du consommateur ; au nombre de ces Directives, on peut citer : la Directive sur la publicité trompeuse modifiée par la Directive sur la publicité comparative , la Directive sur les indications des prix des produits aux consommateurs , ainsi que la Directive 2005/29/CE du 11 mai 2005 sur les pratiques commerciales déloyales ; l’objet de cette dernière Directive (devant être transposée en droit interne au plus tard le 12 juin 2007 ce que la France n’a pas encore fait) étant d’énoncer des critères généraux de loyauté et des règles spécifiques pour éliminer les différences dans les réglementations nationales en matière de pratiques commerciales.

1. Sources utilisées pour dresser cette analyse comparative :


– Analytical report « sales promotions in the internal market » (document Internet élaboré dans le cadre de la préparation de la proposition de règlement relatif aux promotions sur les ventes (2001),

– Livre Vert sur la protection des consommateurs dans l’Union européenne, présenté par la Commission – COM (2001) 531 final.

– Etude des droits nationaux destinés à la protection des consommateurs en matière de pratiques commerciales (juin 2003) élaborée par un groupe d’universitaires de plusieurs Etats membres à la demande de la Direction générale de la santé et de la protection des consommateurs de la Commission européenne (DG SANCO)


2. Cf. Analytical Report – Sales promotions in the Internal Market

3. COM (2002) 585 final

4. COM (2005) 462 final : « Examen des propositions législatives en instance devant le législateur »


5. Publication au JOUE C 64 du 17 mars 2006


6. Communication de la Commission au Conseil et au Parlement Européen : « améliorer la réglementation en matière de croissance et d’emploi dans l’Union européenne » (COM (2005) 97 final du 16 mars 2005) en droite ligne de l’objectif stratégique du Conseil européen de Lisbonne (des 23 et 24 mars 2000) à savoir : « devenir l’économie de la connaissance la plus compétitive et la plus dynamique du monde ».


7. Directive 84/450/CEE du Conseil du 10 septembre 1984 relative au rapprochement des dispositions législatives, réglementaires et administratives des Etats membres en matière de publicité trompeuse (JO L 250 du 19.9. 1984)


8. Directive 97/55/CE du Parlement européen et du Conseil du 6 octobre 1997 modifiant la Directive 84/450/CEE sur la publicité trompeuse afin d’y inclure la publicité comparative (JO L 290 du 23.10.1997)


9. Directive 98/6/CE du Parlement européen et du Conseil relative à la protection des consommateurs en matière d’indication des prix des produits offerts aux consommateurs (JO L 80° du 18.03.1998)