In order to cope with the soaring prices, the French are trying to save on whatever they can. Many are reviewing their shopping habits, also in terms of clothing. Most French people have curtailed their spending on clothes significantly, and they are looking for classic, quality pieces that can withstand fashion fads, a recent study shows.

As the cost-of-living expenses are steadily rising and the inflationary trend is expected to continue in 2023, a growing number of French people are reviewing and rethinking their spending habits.

Inflation has also harmed the fashion industry, and the French Textile Industry Association expects a significant, 5-20 percent jump in the price of clothing items in the coming months. Faced with this new reality, many in France are buying fewer clothes any paying closer attention to the quality of each item.

According to a recent survey, the coronavirus pandemic has already affected people’s clothes-buying habits,

with nearly three quarters, or 73 percent, of consumers saying that they have cut back on purchasing fashion items in the past two years.

A new study by OpinionWay, commissioned by the Marques Avenue store chain reveals that 80 per cent of respondents carefully compare the prices of different brands before buying the clothes they need.

The majority of those surveyed, 82 per cent, said they now prefer clothes that are good quality and durable. 76 per cent of them also think it is important that the fashion items they buy are basic ones that will survive changes in trends and fashion.

The research also revealed that the French are, in fact, giving up „leisure shopping” in the sense that many have stopped buying out of pure pleasure. More than half of those surveyed, 57 per cent, prefer to wait until their financial circumstances are more favourable before renewing their wardrobe. More than four in ten (44 per cent) respondents admitted that they would rather not go near a clothing store to avoid temptation. This, rather unsurprisingly, is particularly true for women.

Price hikes have also led many French to pay closer attention to discounts, and many have turned to the second-hand market.

Commenting on the survey, Zakari Leriche, Managing Director of Marques Avenue, said: „The results of the study reflect the economic climate, the mental state of the French and they convey an image of a France ready to compromise, seeking a balance between needs and pleasures. (…) Beyond price, the notion of durability, with timeless basics that last for a long time, has become a defining consumer attribute. Common sense tends to offer a safe haven in times of uncertainty.”