"
Everything is better than not working
", invited this morning on the France Info set, the president of Medef, Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, said he was lucid about the probable lack of profitability for restaurateurs to reopen the terraces today 'hui.
However, he recalls that the aids are precisely calibrated to gradually decrease and to best support the restart of the activity.
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To allow stores to find room for maneuver, he wishes to offer the possibility, to those who want it, to open on Sundays, while recalling that Sunday work "
should not be the norm
". He also spoke in favor of maintaining the sales on the dates initially announced, June 23, "
the best thing to do is not to touch anything
" in order to "
return to a normal life
" as quickly as possible.
The president of Medef said to put into perspective the concern of bar-restaurant managers not being able to find a workforce.
If the figure of 100,000 people who left the sector has been announced, he says he takes it "
very cautiously
", pointing out that it was mostly seasonal, who could return.
He reiterated that the sector had been in tension for a long time.
Turning back to school for growth
On the employment and bankruptcy front, Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux was optimistic.
He says he does not believe in "
the wall of bankruptcy
" that some predict.
According to questionnaires carried out by Medef, "
5% say they have difficulty repaying loans guaranteed by the State
", a figure that has been stable for several months.
Read also: Catering: the entire sector on the bridge to reopen the terraces
On the other hand, he was more cautious when making conjectures on the growth rate in France in 2021, evaluated at 0.4% in the first quarter and at 5% over the year by Bercy. There will be "
no problem in the very short term,
" he believes, with a strong catch-up effect, in the weeks following the reopening. On the other hand, the continuation announces itself with less certainty, in particular at the time of the re-entry. He recalls that the level of consumption of the French will depend on their "
level of confidence
".