The president of Medef, Patrick Martin, estimated on Friday, July 4 that Chinese electronic commerce giants, such as Shein or Temu, “underdeveloped” the value of their products. In this sense, he invites the European Union, even France, to “act” without delay.
“We ended up having doubts about the reality of macroeconomic figures for consumption,” he said during a debate in the economic meetings of Aix-en-Provence, “because these main players underline the value of the products that export to France.” It seemed to doubt that the average value of an package sent from China by Shein, “for Stain,” he really said “8 euros.” “Now it is necessary to act,” he told AFP a little later, “if a good number of sectors will not laminate.” For him, “the French state can act” only “, even if it is in violation” with the European Union, because it is necessary “an OSEC” against these practices.
The CEO of Carrefour, Alexandre Bompard, who debated with Patrick Martin, said he had seen since the beginning of the year “a slight recovery of consumption volumes.” “But this is fragile and this is the reason I ask public authorities to stop the discourse that provides anxiety in public spending,” which, according to him, feeds a French savings rate of more than 18%.
The employment rate in France, “the real problem” for the head of Medef
He deplored “the relative general indifference” that surrounds the closure of multiple commercial brands for 18 months, accompanied by “50,000 job losses”, and a “completely crazy, powerful and sudden” competition, Chinese platforms, which also accused of not respecting the regulations. He faced the idea of an increase in VAT, emphasizing that it was necessary to “leave alone” consumption, evoking the risk, by this type of measure, to see “red tapas” and “yellow vests” reappear.
The Medef chief also said he proposed to social partners to open “a site about the French productive model.” “Do we want in this country to return to prosperity, give you horizons, return morality, appetite to our fellow citizens instead of, as is the case today, having to go and scrape the funds of the drawers,” this is the participation of this debate.
For Patrick Martin, the pension conclave has just failed because it focused on “technical considerations”, instead of “the real problem”: the employment rate in the country.
Source: BFM TV
