The stocks not sold at the end of the year-end holidays and the January sales could be bought back by the government to save the cash flow of traders, more than ever in the red during this second confinement.
Indeed, Bercy is considering a device to put in place in case the reopening of shops, from this Saturday, November 28, does not allow the goods they have stored in recent months to be sold, RTL revealed on Thursday. .
These stocks could then return to associations.
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"
The fear of many traders, these are the stocks which were constituted before the end of the year and which they fear not being able to sell,"
explains
Le Figaro
in the entourage of Alain Griset, the minister responsible for SMEs in Bercy.
In view of the economic recovery of businesses from this Saturday, we will therefore see whether or not it is necessary to consider a recovery of stocks.
If the recovery is good and there are no more items in stock, the question will not arise. ”
"A decoy"
Eric Mertz, the president of the National Clothing Federation whose members are particularly affected by this issue of stocks, admits that "
the idea of the government to buy back stocks is excellent
".
However, the one who had asked the executive in June to look into this question of surplus goods fears that this is "
a decoy
".
“
With Black Friday in December and if the sales start well on January 6, traders will have sold off their goods within a month, without making any margin.
In the end, at the end of January, there will probably be nothing more to buy back, even if the traders will not have created any wealth.
"
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Indeed, according to Eric Mertz, traders have such an urgent need for cash that they will not hesitate to sell off more than usual to protect themselves from a suspension of payments.
“
One in two companies in our branch has taken out a loan guaranteed by the state (PGE), for about 13% of their annual
turnover
,
he said.
However, with the three months of closure, they have already lost around 30% of turnover.
In addition, deferrals of social contributions will have to be paid one day.
So even with the EMP, these companies have big cash flow problems and within a month, we will have many defaults and receiverships
.
Hence the need to sell off stocks. "
An “
excellent idea
”, therefore, but not a miracle solution.