【エレオノール】「Made in France」は、どのように流行ったのか？

Today I would like to talk about a growing trend in France. I was thinking about this topic recently, especially during the COVID-19 and its impact on societies in the world. 

With globalization and borderless e-commerce, we tend to buy more overseas as long as it is cheap, or advantageous. Physical stores and online commerces, particularly with the arrival of Alibaba or Amazon, changed our buying behaviors without considering the environmental consequences.

However, for around 3 or 4 years, consumption ways in France have been changing. Even if some foreign brands EC pure players are still plebiscite by a major part of the population, around 90% of French people are concerned about buying locally (Ifop survey from 2017), whether it is food, fashion, beauty products. Supporting local shops and industries became necessary: of course, for economic reasons, but also ethical.

Therefore, French consumers want to know what they eat, what they wear, where it is from to make sure of quality products, and in which conditions it has been made.

Let's take a successful company as an example: Le Slip Français, a 100% French local production which sells mostly underpants.

This company is distinguished by the creation of underwear and has chosen to do so through local workshops, in order to hire textile workers and pass on this know-how. In fact, the product will necessarily be more expensive but it is also a price to pay so as not to delocalize production and ensure that people work in conditions that are not precarious. Also, producing locally is obviously a major step for environmental impact, by avoiding massive importation and carbon print increase.

Another great French business model would be Terre de France: launched in 2018, this small company provides perfumes, soaps, and accessories crafted in France. This decision has been taken to praise French expertise with local and artisanal products, and all profits are donated to associations helping rural schools, peasants, and other national causes. Producing, selling, investing, and running a local economy, Terre de France has understood how to do it with sincere convictions, and to ensure that the consumer has complete transparency about the product he buys.

Buying locally has an ecologic impact and a good way to praise and support its economy, especially with a global pandemic. Nowadays, consumers want to make sure of transparency and it becomes a criterion for buying choices: many companies understood how important it is and take care of this aspect more than before.

And French people, very concerned by environmental issues and preservation of intangible heritage, want to thrive the Made in France: if it is seen and considered as a trend, I think a true awareness has risen, and rising up in all Europe.