The toy stores want to be able to reopen from November 13 in order to avoid "doubling the number of visitors between December 1 and 24," the Federation of shops specializing in toys and children's products (FCJPE) said on Wednesday.
In an open letter to Prime Minister Jean Castex, who is due to give a press conference eagerly awaited by traders on Thursday, this federation affirms that
"reopening earlier is the best health strategy"
.
Read also: Reconfinement: non-essential businesses should remain closed
Toy stores ensure that customer traffic has been adapted to
"reduce the gauge to one person per 8 square meters"
.
"We have also adapted our organizations to increase the working hours, to open Sundays in order to smooth out peaks of traffic,"
according to the letter which AFP obtained a copy.
"Our survival depends on it"
, proclaims the FCJPE about the resumption of activity of a sector which
"achieves 60% of its sales during this period of the year"
.
The solidarity fund of up to 10,000 euros monthly
"will not be able to compensate for the shortfall and the 1.2 billion
(euros)
of stock purchased"
, according to the federation.
The Minister in charge of relations with the Parliament Marc Fesneau indeed ruled out Wednesday a reopening
"at this stage"
of so-called non-essential shops, believing that their closure avoids
"the multiplication of the possibilities of contamination"
and makes it possible to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
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