What: French fashion retail shows divergent channel performance in March 2025, with e-commerce growth of 14.6% contrasting against traditional store decline.

Why it is important: The contrasting performance demonstrates the evolving nature of French consumer behavior, with digital adoption accelerating despite the market's traditional preference for physical retail experiences.

The French fashion retail landscape continues to evolve, with March 2025 revealing a stark contrast between digital and physical channels. Online sales demonstrated robust growth of 14.6%, while brick-and-mortar stores experienced a decline of 2.7%. Among physical retailers, mass-market chains like Gémo, Kiabi, and La Halle showed resilience with a 3.7% increase, while specialised chains such as Devred, Maison 123, and Petit Bateau maintained modest growth at 0.6%. Traditional department stores and popular retailers, including Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, and BHV, saw a slight decline of 0.6%. Independent multi-brand retailers faced significant challenges with a 7% decrease in sales, while hypermarkets and supermarkets experienced the steepest decline at 8.4%. The first quarter of 2025 closed with an overall sector decline of 1.1% compared to the previous year, following a flat 2024. The French Fashion Institute (IFM) projects a wide range of possibilities for 2025, from a 2% decline to a 2% increase in annual sales compared to 2024.

IADS Notes: The March 2025 data showing a 14.6% surge in online fashion retail sales aligns with broader market trends observed throughout 2024-2025. In February 2025, traditional winter sales saw a 13% decline despite strong autumn performance, indicating a fundamental shift in consumer behavior towards continuous digital engagement rather than traditional seasonal promotions. This transformation is further validated by the record-breaking EUR 175.3 billion in French e-commerce sales for 2024, representing a 9.6% year-over-year increase. The contrasting performance between online and physical stores (-2.7%) in March 2025 reflects an accelerating trend of channel divergence, with consumers increasingly embracing digital platforms while becoming less responsive to traditional retail calendars. This evolution suggests a structural change in French retail, where success increasingly depends on adapting to year-round digital engagement rather than relying on traditional seasonal peaks.

In March, fashion retailers online sales jumped by 14.6% in France