AFCOV Index reveals tough first quarter in France

Print Article E-Mail Article

French operators struggle to shrug off the effects of the downturn as the first AFCOV Index of the year is released

French trade body Association Française du Commerce du Voyageur (AFCOV) has released the first instalment of its AFCOV Index for 2004. The study, which measures sales and sales per passenger in key categories across the country's main travel-retail outlets, reveals that French operators are struggling to match 2003 figures in the first quarter of this year.

The Index shows that turnover in the core liquor, tobacco and beauty categories in French ferry and airport shops was down by 14.45% in January compared with 2003. The figure was slightly more encouraging in February, although turnover was still down by 12.62%. In March liquor, tobacco and beauty sales remained down, by 12.19%.

Turnover in other categories, including fashion, gifts, jewellery and electronics, enjoyed a more favourable comparison to the 2003 Index although sales remain down year-on-year. In January turnover was down by 9.21%; in February the figure was 1.69% down on 2003; and in March sales slumped to 12.14% below the 2003 level.

The figures for sales per passenger?which show sales progress without the impact of fluctuating traffic?tell a similar story. In liquor, tobacco and beauty, sales per passenger were 15.44% down year-on-year in January; 15.64% down in February and 16.13% down in March. Other categories fared better but not as well as in 2003; from 9.82% down in January the figure rallied to be only 4.74% down in February, before falling to a low of 15.74% down on 2003 figures in March.

More details and reaction will appear in the June 1 issue of DFNI.