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Supermarkets now allowed to advertise on TV


Clair

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France has finally bowed under pressure from Brussels and retailers (such as supermarkets) will be allowed to advertise on television from Jan 1st. 2007. Auchan, Carrefour, Leclerc, Decathlon, Sport 2000 et autres will appear on the screen in a way that Tesco and Sainsbury's have always taken for granted in the UK.

Since 1968, date of the first TV advertising spot in France, such retailers have not been permitted to sell their brand on the small screen: you could see an advert for Huile Lesieur, but not for Casino where you'd go to buy it!

There will be controlled mention of prices, but the change will  allow retailers to focus on their look and strategy rather than on the 'price & promotion' which has been the thrust of the warfare up to now... Prepare for the televisual assault!

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There was something about this on the news a few days ago. If I understood correctly: the newspapers are not happy with this change because they see their advertising revenue falling. Facteur Fred will probably be delighted because the quantity of paper publicity he has to deliver with the mail will also fall. Though I suppose La Poste gets some form of payment for the distribution - which means they'll be up in arms too. Grèves on the way, I suspect. [;-)]

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Now now... you are sooo cynical! [:)]

Todays' article in Le Monde describes the way the advertising is currenly distributed (radio, boards) and by their own admission, most will decrease their radio budget to allow for TV advertising (Champion) or switch it o the new medium altogether (Casino).

See also articles on:

Liberation.fr

Liberation.fr

Capital.fr

Telesatellite.com

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[quote user="Clair"]France has finally bowed under pressure from

Brussels and retailers (such as supermarkets) will be allowed to

advertise on television from Jan 1st. 2007. Auchan, Carrefour, Leclerc,

Decathlon, Sport 2000 et autres will appear on the screen in a way that Tesco and Sainsbury's have always taken for granted in the UK.

[/quote]

I had been led to believe that it was not so much the retaillers as the

TV companies who had been angling hard for this change. The story I was

peddled was that while the supermarkets were all in the same boat (ie

limited to radio and print), they were all more-or-less happy with the

status quo

The structure of the market in France with the difficulties retailers

have in opening new build stores (and, increasingly, even to get

permission to extend or 'improve' existing ones) coupled with the

persistence of a section of the comsumer pool in frequenting smaller

retailer and markets means that the supermarkets are far less likely to

extend their overall reach than elsewhere.

As soon as one begins TV adverts, they will all have to, as the only

game in town is to increase market share. This is a very expensive

game, and the only real beneficiaries will be the TV companies,

advertising bods and associated parasites. The customer pays in the end

of course.

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[quote user="Fluffy Kitten"]There is an analysis of the situation here.[/quote]

Fluffy, thanks for that interesting link. It does highlight the huge market difference that exist between what is viewed in France as 'libéralisme' and 'protectionnisme'

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