Insee Première · June 2024 · n° 1999

The trade account in 2023 Business declined in non-automotive trade, employment was virtually stable

In 2023, sales in France's non-automotive trade sectors fell as the economy slowed down. Sales contracted in the wholesale sector, particularly those of food wholesalers. The decline in in‑store retail sales was not uniform. Food sales contracted sharply, penalized by the sharp rise in prices, while non-food sales were almost stable. In non‑store retailing, sales continued to fall, also suffering from the sharp rise in food prices. Conversely, sales rose vigorously in the automotive trade and repair. Salaried employment in the trade sector as a whole was virtually stable, while it rose slightly in the commercial tertiary sector. Lastly, business start-ups in the trade and commercial handicraft were down slightly, while business failures continued to rise.