Intermarché, Auchan and Carrefour facilitate access to their digital platforms and pick-up points for small independent retailers affected by the new lockdown. They are doing this out of solidarity, but also out of self-interest, of course.
Message for Amazon
Last week’s message from Intermarché left nothing to be desired in terms of clarity: ‘Sorry Amazon. From Monday onwards, all those who, like us, want to support local trade will be able to buy their books from their booksellers’. Specifically, the Musketeers have decided to open a ‘Drive Solidaire’ on their e-commerce site, where independent bookstores will be able to list their books free of charge for the next six months.
Auchan has already announced a similar initiative. Small retailers affected by the lockdown will be able to use the pick-up points in the supermarket chain at no additional cost. All retailers who are customers of Mondial Relay (including Furet du Nord bookstores, MaxiToys toy stores and H&M fashion stores) are welcome.
Carrefour even goes a step further and also addresses food stores. They have free access to the marketplace and the distributor also offers them an “accelerated digitisation solution with the support of partner Mirakl”, writes Linéaires. In addition to regular food stores, pet food stores and retailers selling personal care and beauty products can also join.
Solidarity?
In all these solidarity initiatives, there is, of course, a (strong) self-interest. After all, it is an opportunity for these retailers to expand their range of products. Certainly for Carrefour, whose marketplace was launched in June 2020.
Nevertheless, the actions are primarily a reaction to Amazon, and more specifically to the aggressive pre-Black Friday campaign of the e-tailer at a time when all non-essential stores have to close in France. Last week’s call on RTL by Frédéric Duval, general manager of Amazon France, for small retailers to join the web giant therefore hit many people’s throats.
