Covid, delaying balances to catch a jump in consumption: France’s plan

France will move the start of the balances to raise the accounts of commercial activities put to the test by the anti-Covid lockdown. The expected postponement is one week, from the initial 23 June it passes to the 30th of the same month. The merchants actually asked to postpone the discounts to the month of July, but this option already adopted last year did not give the desired results. Hence the mediation formula the government works on. “I propose that the balances be postponed to June 30”, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire announced to the microphones of the broadcaster ‘France Inter’, explaining that he had “had numerous discussions with commercial representatives and large groups” and to know that “many of the small merchants believe that balances should be delayed”. However, he notes, “I see that last year the sales were delayed in mid-July and the result does not prove” that it is the best choice for everyone. Hence the “wisest hypothesis not to move this date excessively”. In recent days, the French Prime Minister Jean Castex had made a proposal for a differentiated sales calendar at a territorial level, but this proposal was not mentioned by Le Maire.