French Strike Is Worse Than Yellow Vests for Holiday Retail

  • Paris retail sales fell 25%-30% last week, trade group says
  • Continued disruptions dim hope for a rebound before Christmas
Commuters walk in a subway station corridor in Paris during a strike on Dec. 16.Photographer: Martin Bureau/AFP via Getty Images
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French retailers’ holiday sales have suffered more from the current strikes over a proposed pension overhaul than they did during the Yellow Vest protests last year, according to a trade group.

In Paris, where public transit workers have been on a walkout since Dec. 5, members including electronics retailer Fnac Darty SA and Inditex SA’s Zara brand reported an average drop in sales of 25% to 30% for the second week of December.