The war in Ukraine and its consequences on French retail.
Nearly 160 French companies are now established in Ukraine, employing 30,000 people. France is the leading international employer in Ukraine. However, it is in Russia that the infrastructures and their economic weight remain much more considerable. The companies present in Ukraine and Russia are mainly in the retail sector, including the Mulliez group (Auchan, Décathlon, Leroy Merlin), banking (Crédit Agricole, BNP Paribas), food processing (Louis Dreyfus, Soufflet, Danone, Lactalis, Savencia, Malteurop, Limagrain), digital technology (Ubisoft, Blablacar) and luxury goods (LVMH, Kering, Hermès, Chanel).
On Friday March 4, the French luxury giants announced the "temporary" closure of their stores in Russia. The big French companies did not intend to do so and yet, the popular pressure will have got the better of them. In all, it is a hundred stores that are temporarily closed.
It's a question of image, to close store completely is to take the risk of turning off Russian customers. Therefore, French companies do not withdraw entirely from the Russian market, but make donations to humanitarian organizations. Some brands are discreet in the face of war and others support Ukrainians on social networks, waving their flag or relaying information about the situation in Ukraine.
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