The sales have started in Lorraine, before the national kick-off on January 8

An eternal commercial event at the start of the year, the winter sales began early on Thursday January 2, 2025 in the four departments that make up Lorraine, namely Meurthe-et-Moselle, Moselle, Meuse and Vosges. An exemption for this border area of ​​Luxembourg, where discounts also began on January 2.

In the rest of mainland France, the start of the winter sales is set for Wednesday January 8. They will last four weeks, until Tuesday February 4 inclusive. In Lorraine, their end will be recorded a week earlier, on January 29.

Questioned by AFP, Sébastien Duchowicz, president of the Vitrines de Nancy commercial association, hopes to get the sales off to a good start since “everything is generally done over the first seven or even ten days”.

This year, the city’s customers mostly did their Christmas shopping at the last minute: “We really worked very well and we really felt that we were in a rush almost six days before Christmas,” he explains. , which created “very busy” days, but in the end, “the turnover was there”. He also indicates that the private sales phase went “well”.

Because before the sales, good deals have already flooded the shops and e-commerce sites, starting the day after Christmas. On December 26, numerous emails announcing private sales flooded the mailboxes of French consumers. Whether it’s La Redoute, Eram, Petite Mendigote, Naf Naf or even Promod. With discounts that are sometimes very significant, ranging for certain players from -40% to -60%.

Furthermore, the sales operation, which allows brands to sell residual stocks at a loss twice a year, still sparks debate in France. Particularly among independent retailers who are asking for a rethinking of this highlight, arriving too early in the season according to the National Clothing Federation (FNH). The latter also criticizes the multiple promotions carried out throughout the year by brands and department stores.