(AOF) – Cafom’s turnover stood at 113.9 million euros in the first quarter, ended at the end of December, of the 2023-2024 financial year, an increase of 2.8%. “In a difficult environment for discretionary consumption, the Overseas division is down 4.5%, while e-commerce activity in continental Europe is showing strong growth (+16.5%). , benefiting from a remarkable performance in France and internationally”, commented the home equipment specialist. The turnover of the first reached 68.9 million euros.
The turnover of the second came to 45 million euros.
Within the division, Vente-unique.com experienced “remarkable” growth internationally, where it made more than half of its sales for the first time (52%, +4 points compared to the first quarter of 2022- 2023), with particularly strong momentum in Northern and Eastern Europe. According to the roadmap, the marketplace will be rolled out in the Netherlands and Portugal starting in March 2024.
AOF – LEARN MORE
Learn more about the specialty distribution industry
Concerns remain
According to the Federation of Specialized Trade, Procos, in October 2022, activity fell by 1.5% year-on-year. However, the activity of beauty and health (+ 5.2%) and specialized food (+ 3.5%) are dynamic compared to October 2021. Attendance at points of sale was very impacted by the problems fuel and unfavorable weather. Compared to October 2019, a pre-covid year, the drop in attendance is very sharp (-20.9% in October). Shopping centers and the outskirts are more impacted than city centers with a gap of four to five points.
There are several reasons for concern for the future. The players are experiencing a very significant jaws effect given the increase in their operating costs while the evolution of demand is very uncertain. Very few brands can pass on the increase in their costs in sales prices. The federation therefore asks, among other things, to limit the indexation of the Commercial Rent Index to + 3.5% for the rents of all companies in 2023. It also invokes an absolute emergency: cap the price of energy for 2023 and retroact on contracts already signed to prevent the rate of failures from accelerating.