Archive photo: sales day in Bordeaux. Credits: VALENTINO BELLONI / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP The number of stores from major fashion retailers has dropped by nearly 20 percent in France between 2019 and the end of 2025, according to the Alliance du Commerce (AdC). The organisation issued a warning on Tuesday about the “de-commercialisation” of town centres ahead of the municipal elections. The decline is particularly severe for town centres and shopping centres, which are suffering the most from these closures. Retailers in France are now favouring out-of-town areas and retail parks. This shift is driven by growth in the entry-level market, according to a panel conducted for the AdC by the firm Retail Int. The findings are based on data from approximately one-third of the representative market. “We wish to send a strong warning signal about the situation in town centres,” said Bernard Cherqui, president of the AdC. “The attractiveness of town centres is currently deteriorating and commercial vacancy continues to rise,” Cherqui lamented. This vacancy has increased from six percent to almost 12 percent in 15 years, he specified, adding that the “risk of de-commercialisation is now real” in some towns. Grenoble is the city most severely affected by this phenomenon, with a 14.6 percent drop in its store portfolio between 2022 and 2025. Conversely, Nice is faring best (+13.9 percent). Paris, on the other hand, is benefiting from a strong 2024 Olympic Games effect, with the clothing sector growing by 1.4 percent in 2025,…
