France

Store cards posted declines in circulation numbers and volume and current value transactions in 2019, maintaining the negative trend observed over the review period. The category’s performance continued to be undermined by legislative measures ...

The number of debit cards in circulation in France continued to decline in 2019 as brick-and-mortar banks struggled to recruit new customers amidst an increasingly aggressive challenge from online competitors. The decline also reflected the fact that...

After the EU Payment Services Directive capped interchange fees on different types of card payments in 2016, charge cards became more profitable than debit cards for banks in France. The incentive for banks to push charge cards was further increased ...

Credit cards posted mixed results in 2019. Growth in circulation numbers remained modest, as many French consumers distrust credit cards due to the perceived risk of over-indebtedness. Growth was also limited by competition from multifunctional ...

Together with favourable economic conditions, the ongoing shift away from cash and paper-based transactions continued to support the positive development of financial cards and payments in France in 2019. Growth in the total number of financial cards...

Divergent fortunes are projected for closed and open loop pre-paid cards in France over the forecast period. The closed loop category is expected to maintain robust growth in card numbers and volume and current value transactions thanks to the ...

While consumer credit in France continued to develop positively in 2019, current value growth rates for gross lending and outstanding balance were both down slightly on 2018. The slowdown was partly due to the traditionally strong cultural aversion ...

Consumer lending in France registered another solid performance in 2019, with gross lending growing at a healthy pace in current value terms. Low interest rates and a broadly positive macroeconomic climate continued to underpin the expansion of the ...

Following another sharp drop in analgesics sales in current value terms in 2018, the category performance continued to be negative in 2019, albeit with sales falling at a slower rate than a year earlier. The repercussions from the ban on OTC sales of...

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies continued to decline in 2019, albeit at a slightly slower rate than in the two previous years. The category continued to suffer at the hands of a number of factors, including the preference among French ...

Sales of dermatologicals continued to increase in 2019, thanks to the growing levels of self-medication. There were advertising and promotional campaigns running in the 2017-2019 period for topical and even vaginal antifungals, benefiting sales of ...

According to research conducted for Synadiet (National Union of Dietary Supplements), the image of dietary supplements is positive in France, with two thirds of the population convinced of their benefits and half having already purchased some of ...

Digestive remedies continued to record reasonably strong current value growth in 2019, driven in particular by the dynamic category of diarrhoeal remedies. This product benefited from sizeable peaks of gastroenteritis outbreaks in 2018 and early ...

Although overall growth in eye care was relatively modest in current value terms in 2019, one area was more dynamic than most, products positioned as medical devices for dry eye in standard eye care. A traditional eyewash is usually priced at EUR3-4,...

Herbal/traditional products performed much better than standard products in 2018 and 2019 and are expected to continue forging ahead over the forecast period thanks to the controversy over certain substances used in standard products and the general ...

Products in NRT smoking cessation aids were the beneficiaries of new legislation for their reimbursement. The changes mean that the previous EUR150 flat-rate reimbursement has been changed to 65% reimbursement. Where previously this meant ...

The consumer health market continued to grow in France in current value terms in 2019, with growth at a very similar level to the previous two years. However, many players were concerned by two main negative factors. The first of which was limited ...

Although current value sales recorded a modest increase in 2019, paediatric consumer health will continue to be dampened by two factors. The first is the expected decline in the birth rate, which is expected to continue in the long term. This will ...

According to the National Institute of Sleep (INVS), a quarter of French people complain about a lack of sleep and a third experience sleep disorders, especially on work days. Such problems are being caused by a number of factors, including ...

Sports nutrition continued to be one of the most dynamic products in consumer health in 2019, which is expected to remain the case over the forecast period as well. Sports nutrition is benefiting from a growing consumer base, a widening of ...