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Summary of our market study
Brocante is a French passion. It is estimated that over 50.000 the number of brocantes and vide-greniers organized in France every year.
The sector experienced a spectacular drop in activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic prompted a switch to online platforms for market organization. Municipalities and companies are relying on software to streamline the process and enable remote management of bookings and financial transactions.
Large-scale flea markets such as Lille's Braderie, which attracts millions of visitors, as well as other major events in Rennes, Strasbourg, Amiens and Chatou, testify to the importance of the markets' cultural and economic role.
Flea market trends in France
In a society where the appeal of antiques intersects with the burgeoning circular economy, the French flea market remains a domain rooted in tradition, but evolving with the push of modernity.
This diverse market encompasses not only local stores and specialist boutiques selling brocante items, but also open-air gatherings that attract both professional vendors and bargain hunters.
Lille's Braderie is the biggest, with some two to three million visitors a year. The charm of these markets is well established, facilitating the search for and exchange of a wide range of objects, where regulars rub shoulders with the curious.
More than half of all French people visit a flea market every year. This trend is in line with consumers' inclinations, since almost 90% of French people are tempted to buy second-hand.
Markets are held mainly in April and May.
It's not just about buying special items. Walking is also an important attraction for many. Nearly half of second-hand furniture buyers cite the excitement of "chine" or object hunting as their main motivation.
While the French flea market presents a wide and varied offering, its resilience lies in the French's collective passion for history and their affinity for sustainable consumption.
Leading flea market organizers and renowned markets in France
The French flea market landscape is characterized by a plethora of events, from lively urban fairs to picturesque village markets. These events are coordinated by a variety of organizing bodies, including municipalities, professional societies, associations and software platforms.
Municipalities and historic markets:
Events such as La Braderie de Lille, La Grande Braderie de Strasbourg, and La Braderie du Canal Saint-Martin in Rennes are perfect examples of flea markets orchestrated by local municipal councils. These historic markets are not only shopping venues for antiques and second-hand treasures, but also cultural festivities that attract millions of tourists and locals alike.
Lille's Braderie, for example, holds the title of Europe's most massive flea market, underlining the deeply-rooted tradition of "brocantes" in French society.
Professional organization companies:
Entities such as Nardin Organisation and SPAM (Société parisienne d'animation et d'événements) are examples of companies specializing in the planning and management of flea markets. They work in partnership with local authorities and draw on their expertise to ensure the success of these events, for vendors and visitors alike.
Associations and committees:
Often on a smaller scale, many local associations and festival committees take it upon themselves to organize flea markets at village or neighborhood level. These gatherings may not carry the same weight in terms of footfall as their larger counterparts, but they are invaluable for cultivating community spirit and supporting local economies.
Online organizing platforms:
The advent of online solutions such as MyBrocante and TrocMalin has revolutionized flea market organization. These platforms offer a new paradigm by providing comprehensive digital services, from vendor registration and payment processing to layout planning.
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of study
Brocante refers to the trade in old and used household goods. It thus refers to two quite distinct activities:
- stores and specialized stores where this trade is carried out (in the same way as an antique dealer's activity);
- popular fairs organized in towns and cities, where professionals and private individuals set up their own stalls.
Brocante" is to be distinguished from "vides-greniers", which are made up of private individuals and do not represent a tangible economic reality.
In France, the largest brocante takes place in downtown Lille, with some 10,000 stallholders in September, as well as in Amiens in spring and autumn.
The flea market is benefiting from the boom in vintage and niche fashions such as retro-gaming , and some flea markets have the reputation and prestige to be popular tourist attractions.
However, today's flea markets are also being challenged by the circular and collaborative economies , as well as by the online sale of second-hand antiques, symbolized by the success of the marketplace and ad site Le Bon Coin in France. There is also competition from social economy brands, buy-and-sell stores and second-hand shops. Brocante players in France are essentially small-scale and highly localized, which may benefit the emerging online competition, which is more global and inclusive.
The second-hand market will therefore have to adapt to new online business methods, but also to changing consumer habits, with the popularity of antique furniture in France declining in recent years, in favor of new furniture.
List of charts presented in this market study
- The French and flea markets: consumer habits
- Percentage of French people buying at least one second-hand item in 2021
- Motivations of French people buying second-hand goods
- Motivations of second-hand online shoppers
- Second-hand products most purchased by the French
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