They try to act on their own scale, modestly.
Since the announcement of the reconfinement, some French people are trying to change their consumption habits to support small traders, hit hard by the economic crisis.
With the hope of limiting the breakage.
To read also: "It's a total rout": these Parisian businesses on the edge of the abyss
Pauline lives in Yerres, Essonne, and works in a local community.
“You can be a consumer and an actor.
I find it important to support small traders, it's part of a citizen approach
,
”
said this young woman of 24 years.
She explains that she makes
“little extra purchases” that
she does not necessarily do usually.
Recently, for example, she bought bouquets of flowers from the local florist: one for her parents and one for a friend.
And now, when she goes to the bakery, she leaves regularly with desserts.
“
Even if it's a drop of water, it's a gesture for traders.
Some will not recover from this complicated period.
It's really terrible ...
”she continues.
Pauline recently posted a photo on social media to encourage her followers to support local business as well.
A photo of Pauline's recent purchases from local merchants.
Pauline (screenshot)
"With the current context, it may also be the time to push open the door of businesses near home, which we do not necessarily know, to help them a little bit
", concludes the young woman.
Support a small neighborhood restaurant
On the Strasbourg side, Alexandre is also trying to act at his level.
“
We all have power, no matter how small.
One must know what one wants.
If we don't want downtown businesses to die, we have to go there, especially at the moment,
”explains the 45-year-old salesperson.
Alexandre is very attached to a small neighborhood family restaurant, located a stone's throw from his home.
“
It's a restaurant located in a house and made with 'grandmother's' food: stew, beef bourguignon, veal blanquette, escalope with cream .... There is a side 'good franquette',
”he says in an enthusiastic voice.
Read also: Reconfinement: initiatives to help small businesses sell online are multiplying
So, Alexander tries to help this establishment as best he can.
“
When I go there to buy a dish, I also offer around me, to my mother, to my neighbor or to friends,
” he explains.
Continuing to go there also helps to maintain a form of social bond.
“It allows me to see the manager and discuss.
I feel he's happy to see me and I feel like I'm helping.
In addition with confinement, it is good for morale to eat something nice, ”
continues Alexandre.
In these difficult times, the Strasbourg resident advocates solidarity and mutual aid.
“You have to think of others.
If everyone falls, we too will end up falling, ”
he concludes.
Support local agriculture
Chloé, 20, is a student in Paris.
During the previous confinement, in March, she was with her parents, in a suburban residence in Yvelines.
The “traditional” markets having closed at that time, a farmer from Magny-les-Hameaux (a small town in the department) had the idea of delivering directly to customers.
The principle is simple.
“
We receive an excel file on Thursday with a list of products.
This list is returned on Friday morning and the farmer then spends Saturday at 6 pm with his refrigerated truck
, ”explains Chloé.
The farmer parks in a small square near the residential complex and gives customers their "
baskets
".
Leeks, pumpkins, salads, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, eggs, figs, homemade apple juice .... The products on offer are varied.
Chloe and her family had tried for the first time in March and since then it has become a new habit of consumption.
“
We continue to do it.
Every Saturday I take my small order,
”explains Chloé.
Like her, a lot of neighbors also continued the experiment.
“
It's silly but we pay more attention to what we eat.
It allows you to eat at the rhythm of the seasons and it feels good to tell yourself that the products come from the 'small local farmer', near us,
”continues Chloé.
In this difficult period for the entire French economy, it also helps support the local economy.
As Chloé also explains, these orders lead her family to no longer buy certain products in supermarkets, for example eggs.
According to her, "
the average basket is a little more expensive than in a supermarket
" but the difference is quite small compared to what she expected.
