In June, the furniture retail trade in France achieved an increase of 2.7% and thus once again exceeded the high turnover level of the comparative month last year. In June 2020, the lifting of corona-related restrictions in the brick-and-mortar retail trade had led to catch-up effects, and subsequently to a 35.8% rise in turnover. Over the course of the first half, growth in June nevertheless slackened off, according to French market research institute Ipea. Following significant increases in March (+98.0%) and April (+269.7%), both ensuing from base effects, in May turnover of the furniture retail trade had still risen by 10.1% vis à vis May 2020. In January and February, increases of 6.1% and 20.3% respectively had been achieved. Compared to the respective pre-corona period in 2019, turnover in June was up by 41.3%.
Accumulated over the first half year, turnover rose by 26.3% vis à vis the comparative period of the preceding year and by 5.1% vis à vis the first half of 2019. Consequently turnover in the furniture retail trade has meanwhile exceeded the pre-crisis level. At the end of the first five months, Ipea had still recorded a 1.1% decrease compared to the respective period of 2019. As in 2020, the brick-and-mortar furniture trade in France was closed in April as well as the first half of May 2021. Because many furniture retailers have meanwhile discovered improved methods of coping with lockdown-related store closures, or developed alternative distribution possibilities, however, turnover was significantly higher than last year.
